By Agriculture Reporter
Ministry of Lands, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Acting Deputy Director Mechanisation, Engineer Harrison Basikoro, has reiterated that Government is still making efforts to optimise the country’s farm mechanisation to improve production.
In an interview with this publication, Engineer Basikoro highlighted that Government was very cognisant to the issue of reducing the cost of farming equipment.
“Government has put waivers on certain farm equipment when importing them. My understanding is that equipment such as planters are duty free and VAT free. Our local suppliers such as Bain, Farmec and others do not charge VAT on farm equipment,” expressed Eng Basikoro.
However, he clarified that to promote local production, certain unsophisticated farm implements such as ploughs and rippers were charged VAT.
“If you bring your planter in form of semi-knockdown kits and spare parts, you will be charged VAT. Government is trying to capacitate and recapitalise local production of certain implements such that we do not sorely rely on importations. We want to move towards assembling sophisticated equipment such as tractors and combine harvesters. It is in the hope that if we get more suppliers locally, prices will become more and more competitive and restrict imports,” said Eng Basikoro.
Ministry of Lands, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Youth Desk Chief Coordinator, Mr Nikros Kajengo, applauded Government for its commitment to optimise farm mechanisation. He highlighted that farm mechanisation and equipment remained vital for production.
“Most of our farmers are faced with cost challenges to import farm equipment. Availability of local suppliers at reasonable prices will help especially young farmers in enhancing smart agriculture. As the Youth Desk, we will continue to partner with local suppliers to assist our young farmers. To date, a number of stakeholders are heeding our plea and production is likely to improve in the 2020/2021 farming season”, said Mr Kajengo.
Farmers have since presented an outcry over the cost of purchasing farming equipment, comparing themselves with their counterparts in South Africa, whom they claim produce at very low costs.
Limited supply of locally produced farm equipment resulted in most farmers importing from other countries at higher costs. Government has since rectified the concern by putting waivers on some agricultural implements.
