Calle seeks 100% tax relief for farmers
22 October 2021 | Agriculture
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein has requested the National Assembly to grant farmers 100% land tax relief for the 2019/2020 financial year, due the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the sector.
No land tax payments have been made in the past five years, which means farm owners are now assessed for the financial years from 2016/2017 to 2020/2021.
The land tax rate is currently 0.4% for Namibian farm owners and 1.4% for foreigners. Tax of 0.25% is payable for each additional farm.
Schlettwein said, cognisant of the socioeconomic impact of the pandemic on the economy and livelihoods in particular,
the ministry - as the administrator of land tax on commercial agricultural land - thought it imperative to waive the collection of this tax to ameliorate the strife experienced by the farmers during the lockdown period.
He said this is done in accordance with the provisions of the Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act.
Schlettwein said farmers were not able to market their livestock or produce domestically and borders were closed, thus impinging on their ability to earn through the traditional export markets.
Waiving the tax will enable the agricultural sector to recover in the medium- to long-term, he added.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein has requested the National Assembly to grant farmers 100% land tax relief for the 2019/2020 financial year, due the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the sector.
No land tax payments have been made in the past five years, which means farm owners are now assessed for the financial years from 2016/2017 to 2020/2021.
The land tax rate is currently 0.4% for Namibian farm owners and 1.4% for foreigners. Tax of 0.25% is payable for each additional farm.
Schlettwein said, cognisant of the socioeconomic impact of the pandemic on the economy and livelihoods in particular,
the ministry - as the administrator of land tax on commercial agricultural land - thought it imperative to waive the collection of this tax to ameliorate the strife experienced by the farmers during the lockdown period.
He said this is done in accordance with the provisions of the Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act.
Schlettwein said farmers were not able to market their livestock or produce domestically and borders were closed, thus impinging on their ability to earn through the traditional export markets.
Waiving the tax will enable the agricultural sector to recover in the medium- to long-term, he added.
[email protected]
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