Magufuli directs crop boards to reduce farm produce charges

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli has directed crop boards to reduce farm produce charges, saying they are burdening smallholders.

Speaking during a launch of the second phase of the Agricultural Sector Development Programme on June 4, 2018, the President said farmers get little profits because they pay many charges.

“Farmers are totally frustrated because they sell produce at very low prices, but pay many nuisance taxes to boards,” he lamented.

He gave the example of the Cotton Board that has not even been supplying agricultural inputs to farmers, but it charges them when they sell their crops.

 “I know how you steal our money in your boards. You find a report reading that the board spent Sh300 million to plant 10 million of cashew trees but in reality only three million trees were planted,” he said while criticising the Cashew nut Board.    

“This is how board managements take the money they get from the government plus massive levies and nuisance taxes they collect from farmers.”

He directed boards to focus on improving production and exports as well reducing the burden of unnecessary charges to farmers.