The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) is urging stakeholders in the agricultural sector, particularly the private sector, to support government initiatives by contributing to the livestock development levy.
In an interview with NewsDay, AMA Chief Executive Officer Clever Isaya emphasized that the levy applies to businesses involved in chick production, raw milk purchase, and beef cattle slaughter.
Isaya outlined that the levy’s objectives include promoting the sector, enhancing disease surveillance and control, researching livestock production technologies, improving animal health, ensuring transparent grading of livestock and products, facilitating orderly livestock marketing, investing in veterinary infrastructure, and promoting sustainable animal husbandry practices. He said:
There has been reluctance by stakeholders to contribute to this levy. The advantages of doing so are many.
All resources must be harnessed towards the rehabilitation and consistent dipping of cattle, which are proven methods of containing menacing diseases.
The Presidential Tick Grease Programme has been very successful and millions of farmers across the country have benefited from the same.
The livestock development levy must effectively contribute to this cause. The levy remains an enabler in the livestock sector.
Producers of day-old chicks are charged $0.01 per chick. Buyers of raw milk pay $0.01 per litre, and abattoirs pay $10 of the value of a fifth quarter per animal slaughtered. Added Isaya:
We call upon all stakeholders to move together in this important drive to safeguard the national herd. The government must not walk alone on this important journey.
In 2017, Anxious Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, enacted the Agricultural Marketing Authority (Livestock Development Levy) Regulations, 2017, through Statutory Instrument 129 of 2017.
These regulations were established to introduce a livestock development levy and outline its purposes and distribution.
The levy forms a part of the Agricultural Marketing Fund, established under the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) Act.
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