ESTHER MSETEKA, Lusaka
ZAMBIA National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has called on Government to consider introducing agriculture fuel road levy refund system to help accelerate the growth of the agriculture sector.
ZNFU in its 2016 budget submissions says the agriculture sector consumes huge volumes of fuel, especially in diesel machinery that runs only on farms.
According to a statement availed to the Daily Mail by ZNFU media liaison officer Kingsley Kaswende, the measure is expected to boost household incomes and national food security.
“Government should introduce agriculture fuel road levy refund system. This should be easier with the implementation of toll gates. In fact, Government should scrap fuel levy system once the toll gates are fully operational to avoid applying the two systems [with the same objective] and overburden the business community with high costs,” the union said.
ZNFU is optimistic that Government’s revenue target will be exceeded with the introduction of toll gates.
The union said despite the sector attaining growth, agriculture is under stress due to a number of factors that need urgent policy interventions to sustain, consolidate development and avoid job losses.
ZNFU said some of the challenges that are choking the growth of the sector include subsidised and dumped agricultural imports, high costs of production arising from high fuel costs, and continued imposition of customs duties on some agricultural equipment and farm machinery.