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August 4 2016
GOVERNMENT should introduce an export levy for maize bran to help the local industry have a readily available product, Dairy Association of Zambia (DAZ) executive manager Jeremiah Kasalo has said.
Mr Kasalo said the association had submitted its 2017 Tax and Non-Tax Proposals to Ministry of Finance for consideration and possible inclusion in the 2017 national Budget.
He said this at the on-going 90th Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show in Lusaka, that doing this would enable the Government to generate some income.
Mr Kasolo said the proposals were focusing on improving the dairy sector by encouraging the Government to introduce an export levy which will enable the local industry to have a readily available product as it would be expensive to export.
“2015 has been a challenging year for the dairy industry because of the economic challenges that the country has been faced with. These challenges emanate from the high cost of production due to high interest rates and high cost of inputs such as maize bran.
“We are trying to be proactive by lobbying Government on issues relating to policy. We have made our submissions to Government for the 2017 national Budget where we are encouraging them to introduce an export levy which will enable the local industry to have a readily available product as it would be expensive to export it,” he said.
He said the Government must also regulate the importation of dairy products, saying some products could be produced or processed locally.
Mr Kasolo noted that there were local companies like Parmalat that could produce long life milk and supply sufficient stocks to the nation.
He said there was need to resuscitate the sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) committee through which the industry could be able to indicate which products could be allowed to be imported into the country.
“We are also working with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry to try and address the problems that the processors are facing in terms of exporting due to policies that have been put in place by some countries.
“We believe that if these proposals are considered by Government, the dairy industry will be able to register growth going forward,” he said.
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