The Government has been urged to review fuel taxes after the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) increased the prices of fuel twice in one week.
The fuel prices have gone up significantly on the global market since Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, with Western powers responding by imposing economic sanctions on Moscow.
Dzivaresekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC Alliance) implored the Government to reduce fuel taxes and levies to make the product affordable for citizens. Said Mushoriwa:
The various taxes and levies contribute approximately 30 per cent to the price of fuel so isn’t it possible to review them downwards?
Tobacco Association Zimbabwe president, George Seremwe, warned that the recent fuel price hike will make tobacco farming less profitable. He said:
As farmers, we are very much worried about the escalating prices of fuel which has been caused by the crisis in Ukraine and we think that is going to affect our profitability of tobacco production.
Fuel is one of our major inputs in the value chain. We need fuel for the transportation from the fields to sheds, and from floors to market we also use fuel.
We are very much worried about the charge from transporters, very soon because we will be transporting our tobacco, this will have an impact on our profits.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) president Denford Mutashu said consumers should brace for a sharp rise in the prices of both basic and non-essential goods.