President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, JAS, Lenworth Fulton, says his concerns about the removal of the general consumption tax, GCT, on imported raw foods have softened following the finance minister’s statement in Parliament on Tuesday that a committee will guide the process.
Dr. Nigel Clarke had announced the GCT removal in his budget presentation last week saying the move was to avoid trade sanctions from other member states of the World Trade Organization, WTO.
In his closing budget presentation on Tuesday, Dr. Clarke stated that the GCT provision is non-negotiable under the WTO’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
He announced that a multi-stakeholder group would be set up to review the duties applied.
Speaking Wednesday evening on Nationwide at Five, Mr. Fulton says local farmers will still be at a disadvantage when compared to their foreign counterparts.
Mr. Fulton says the vegetable farming sector has the capacity to provide adequately for the country, but needs financial concessions.
Lenworth Fulton, president of the JAS.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Potato and Onion Producers Association of Jamaica, Sherman Campbell says the GCT removal on imported raw foods is a disincentive to farmers.
He says the local sector provides close to 50 per cent of the country’s consumptive needs in onions and should be encouraged through tax breaks on farming inputs.
Sherman Campbell, Chairman of the Potato & Onion Producers Association of Jamaica.
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