By CHATULA KANGALI –
THE Government has said that it will engage stakeholders before implementing the new charges for poultry and livestock sectors.
Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Micheal Katambo said in an interview that Government would engage stakeholders before implementing the new charges.
Finance Minister Felix Mutati said during the presentation of the 2017 budget last year that that the Government intended to increase service fees and charges in the Livestock and poultry.
The services fees which are under the animal health regulation of 2016  range  from veterinary clinical services, export and import permits, sanitary and animal products.

KATAMBO

Others are inspections related to importation and exports of livestock and its products as well as stock
movement permits which cover inter-district or provincial.
Mr Katambo said that  farmers   had complained  to  his office  that the  increment in charges  would have a negative impact  on the cost of productions and  other  associated  cost on the  livestock  sector.
He said that Government would allow  stakeholders  to propose  the fees  which  they  feel would  be affordable and conducive  for  the growth of the sector.
“We  are a  listening  Government, farmers have  complained that the  charges  which  we  want to  implement this   year  are  too high and  would  affect the cost of production of livestock in the country, we want them  to   give  the  charges which would be appropriate  for them,”  he said,
Zambia National Farmers  Union president, Jervis Zimba said in an interview that the charges  which  Government  had proposed  were  too  exorbitant  for the livestock  and poultry sector  in the country.
Mr Zimba said that some   charges were increased by as high as 500 per cent.
He said that the farmers had since make proposals to the Government for adjustment.