The
measures,
unveiled
as
part
of
the
country’s
Ease
of
Doing
Business
programme,
include
slashing
or
abolishing
dozens
of
permits
and
fees
that
farmers
and
processors
were
previously
required
to
pay.
Finance
Minister
Professor
Mthuli
Ncube
said
the
changes
would
remove
duplication,
simplify
compliance,
and
promote
competitiveness
in
agriculture.
“These
reforms
are
about
lowering
the
cost
of
doing
business,
especially
for
small
and
medium
enterprises,”
Ncube
said.
“By
streamlining
fees
and
removing
unnecessary
requirements,
we
are
creating
a
business
environment
that
is
affordable,
transparent
and
supportive
of
growth.”
The
new
framework
sees
farm
registration
fees
under
the
Agricultural
Marketing
Authority
(AMA)
reduced
to
a
$1
flat
rate,
while
small
and
medium-sized
farmers
will
no
longer
need
farm
registration
certificates.
Large-scale
farmers
will
now
pay
$50
instead
of
previous
higher
charges.
Dairy
processors,
who
previously
paid
$350
annually,
will
now
pay
a
one-off
$50
fee.
Feed
manufacturers
will
pay
$20,
down
from
between
$150
and
$250.
On
livestock
permits,
duplicate
local
authority
requirements
have
been
scrapped,
while
movement
clearance
has
been
reduced
to
$5
per
herd,
down
from
$10
per
beast.
Export
fees
have
also
been
slashed,
with
dairy
product
export
registration
falling
from
$900
to
$10,
and
meat
export
registration
reduced
from
$500
to
$100
annually.
Professor
Ncube
said
the
reforms
would
have
a
direct
impact
on
farmers’
livelihoods.
“Agriculture
supports
65%
of
our
people’s
livelihoods
and
remains
the
mainstay
of
our
exports,”
he
said.
“Excessive
regulations
and
high
compliance
costs
have
held
back
growth.
This
package
of
reforms
is
designed
to
free
up
our
farmers
and
processors
so
they
can
focus
on
production,
not
paperwork.”
Environmental
and
utility
charges
have
also
been
cut,
with
the
Environmental
Management
Agency’s
(EMA)
effluent
and
waste
disposal
fee
for
dairy
farmers
reduced
from
$800
to
$100
annually.
Borehole
abstraction
and
water
use
fees
charged
by
ZINWA
have
been
abolished,
and
environmental
impact
assessment
licences
have
been
lowered
from
1.5%
of
project
value
to
0.05%,
capped
at
$100,000.
Ncube
said
the
changes
were
part
of
a
wider
government
strategy
to
modernise
the
economy.
“This
is
only
the
first
phase,
focusing
on
agriculture,”
he
said.
“We
will
extend
these
reforms
to
tourism,
transport,
retail
and
other
sectors.
Our
goal
is
to
position
Zimbabwe
as
a
leader
in
creating
a
conducive
environment
for
business
growth,
job
creation
and
competitiveness.”
He
added
that
all
future
regulations
would
undergo
strict
assessment
to
ensure
they
do
not
undermine
investment.
“Government
remains
committed
to
building
a
modern,
efficient,
and
business-friendly
regulatory
system
that
drives
inclusive
economic
growth
and
positions
Zimbabwe
as
an
upper
middle-income
society
by
2030,”
Ncube
said.