Cabinet Approves Major Fee Reductions to Boost Agricultural Sector

Government has announced significant reductions in several administrative and operational fees to ease the cost of doing business in the agricultural and environmental sectors.

During a post-Cabinet briefing, it was confirmed that the cost of effluent discharge has been reduced by half, from $27,000 to $13,500. This move is expected to provide relief to industrial and agricultural players who manage waste while complying with environmental standards.

Further measures were approved to support the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) and its stakeholders.

Trader registration fees have been drastically reduced from $1,000 to $100, while contractor registration fees for crops have been lowered from $1,000 to $250.

In addition, Cabinet has scrapped fish harvest fees, which were previously set at $7.50 per tonne. This is expected to benefit the aquaculture and fishing industries.

The fee reductions also extend to chemical management and land use. Pesticide registration fees have been cut from $300 to $150.

Lake lease fees have also been reduced by 50 percent, from $30,000 to $15,000, offering relief to operators working near water bodies.

These sweeping changes reflect Government’s commitment to improving the business environment for farmers and related industries, while supporting productivity and growth in the agricultural sector.