ALL institutions and individuals involved in the trading of livestock and/or their products have up to January 31 to either register with the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) or close shop and are also liable to facing criminal charges.
In a twitter posting yesterday the Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) issued the notice to all institutions or individuals trading in livestock and livestock products urging them to register or renew their licences for the 2023 agricultural season.
Class A and B abattoirs are required to pay a registration fee of US$350 or equivalent at the official interbank rate per year. The Class C category pays US$125 or the equivalent in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate.
The classification of abattoirs, which is under the purview of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) is on the bases of through-put of slaughtered units per day. A slaughter unit is equal to one bovine or three pigs. The resultant classification is as follows: Class C – less than 10 units, Class B between 10 and 100 units and Class A more than 100 units per day.
Livestock and livestock product traders’ pay a registration fee of US$300 or its local currency equivalent at the interbank rate annually.
On the other hand, livestock processors are mandated to pay US$350 or its local currency equivalent at the interbank rate per year while buyers of live animals pay US$125 or its local currency equivalent at the interbank rate annually to register.
AMA’s livestock season, which runs from January 1 to December 31, 2023 has a deadline registration date of January 31, 2023.
The authority further advised all stakeholders that failing to register and paying the livestock development levy was a criminal offence that attracted a maximum of level six fine or imprisonment up to six months.
A level six fine is pegged at $60 000 while other administrative fines are still being revised.
Meanwhile, AMA has also revealed that farmers would also be added to the database upon getting registered. It is mandated with the overall regulation of production, marketing and processing of agricultural products in Zimbabwe.
Registration of livestock products is in accordance with the provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Authority Act CAP 18:24 and Statutory Instrument 147 of 2012. Among the main functions stipulated in the Act are the regulation of participation in the production, buying or processing of any agricultural product by producers, buyers or processors or classes of producers, buyers or processors of any agricultural product upon such terms and conditions, including, as appropriate the fixing of quotas, as may be prescribed.
Traders and processors are required to submit periodic returns to AMA.
All registrations are done online at AMA website www.ama.co.zw.
For more information stakeholders should contact:
Telephone (0242) 308662-4 Ext. 111/112 or Email: [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected]
Or visit One-Stop Shop at Ngungunyana Building, No. 1 Borrowdale Rd, Harare. – The Herald
