Tanzania: MPs demand scrapping exemption on imported crude palm oil

Published 2023년 6월 21일

Tridge summary

Tanzania's Finance and Planning Minister, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, has announced plans to remove the tariff on imported crude palm oil, returning to the East African Community Common External Tariff (EAC CET) rate of 0%, up from 25%. This decision, aimed at protecting consumers from rising prices and boosting economic growth, has sparked concerns from local sunflower farmers. With a bumper harvest this year, they fear the move will negatively impact their market and prices. In response, lawmakers have suggested increasing the tariff to 35% to level the playing field for local producers. The issue highlights the challenges local oilseed farmers face, including low productivity, limited access to financial and market information, and high post-harvest losses.

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Original content

Dodoma — MINISTER for Finance and Planning, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba has dropped a hint on plans for East African Community Common External Tariff (EAC CET) on scrapping of imported crude palm oil tariff. He said in the National Assembly on Tuesday that the government has heard members of Parliament's concerns over plans to exempt CET for imported crude palm oil. Presenting government's budget in the House last week, Minister Nchemba announced that the government planned to revert back to EAC CET rate of 0 per cent, instead of 25 per cent on Crude Palm Oil (CPO) to protect consumers' welfare against skyrocketing prices henceforth enhance economic growth. Members of Parliament expressed concerns over the plan, saying that will discourage sunflower farmers who had bumper harvest this year. Contributing to government's budget estimates for 2023/24 in Parliament on Monday they said plans to grant EAC CET exemption to CPO would hurt sunflower farmers who had bumper harvest this year after ...

Source: All Africa