The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye has disclosed that fish feed raw materials will be added to the list of agriculture raw materials that are exempted from tax.
According to her, government made this move to support the aquaculture industry. She dropped the hint while receiving the report on the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Aquaculture Industry with the theme: “Survey on the Impact of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) On Businesses In The Aquaculture Sector of Ghana,” from the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana.
“The President Nana Akuffo Addo has instructed the Minister of Finance to include fish feed raw materials to the list of tax exempted raw materials for agriculture.”
According to her, the ministry has been working on getting tax exemption on aquaculture feed ingredients to be included in the Harmonized System: Ecowas common tariff and other schedules Ghana 2017.
While speaking to the representatives from the Chamber of Aquaculture, Mrs. Quaye encouraged the feed producers to associate with beneficiaries of the Planting for Food and Jobs program as they are assured of getting cheaper raw materials.
“The government has assisted them with inputs, their cost of production is now lower so they sell at a lower price than the market rates.”
Meanwhile, with the increasing cases of Infectious Spleen and Kidney Virus diseases in fishes, she stated that she has directed her outfit to undertake the second phase of the vaccination of mass immunisation for fish farms. According to her, government is confident it will extend the expansion this time around.
In the survey report presented to the Ministry, the Chamber recommended that a special fund be instituted for aquaculture but the Minister revealed that that was a concern recognized by her outfit which they find very relevant. She went on to say that MoFAD is in talks with ADB and assured that her Ministry is aware of the situation and pushing an agenda for a special loan facility to be designed and extend to the industry.
The call for the fund is to lessen the struggle in loan acquisition by the players of the industry.
The Minister however, advised the chamber to encourage members to apply for COVID-19 Alleviation Programme Business Support Scheme (CAP BuSS) being implemented by The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) to help sustain the members in this difficult time.
She also urged the chamber to organize workshops and seminars to train and educate fish farmers on biosecurity protocols.
On behalf of the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, the CEO, Mr. Jacob Adzikah thanked the Minister for the warm reception. He went on to admonish the Ministry to implement policies to ensure the aquaculture industry benefit from the impending African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
Mr. Wisdom Abodakpi 1st Vice Chairman of the chamber, in his presentation of the report to the Minister, commended the government for considering their plights and urged the ministry to push for a facility to help revamp the ailing aquaculture industry as it’s currently being done to the poultry farmers who are presently accessing GHC500 million loan facility at eight per cent interest rate from Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
Other attendees at the meeting included Mrs. Levina Owusu, Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr. Alfred Tetegu, Former Director of Fisheries Commission, Mr. Joseph Chognuru, Director of Finance and Administration of the Ministry and selected Executive Council members of the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana.
