Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter
CABINET has approved the review of licences, permits, levies and fees in the agriculture sub-sectors comprising crops, horticulture, fisheries and fertiliser as part of wide-ranging reforms aimed at reducing the cost of doing business and enhancing economic growth.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda announced the developments at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare.
“Cabinet considered and approved the review of licences, permits, levies and fees in the agricultural sub-sectors comprising crops, horticulture, fisheries and fertiliser, in line with the Cabinet decision of July 29, 2025, which approved the implementation of a raft of business reforms in 12 sectors of the economy,” said Dr Soda.
“The review process is aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, increasing competitiveness, enhancing the viability of enterprises and enabling the growth of the Zimbabwean economy.”
Cabinet, he said, approved the streamlining of duplicated and overlapping regulatory licences and permits, removed unnecessary levies and fees, and lowered unjustifiably high charges.
Among the major reductions, Agricultural Marketing Authority contractor registration fees for crops have been slashed by three quarters from US$1 000 to US$250, while AMA trader registration fees were reduced 90 percent from US$1 000 to US$100. Effluent discharge costs have been halved from US$27 000 to US$13 500.
Other key adjustments include pesticide registration fees halved from US$300 to US$150, the removal of 15,5 percent Value Added Tax on fish products sales, and a reduction in National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority lake lease fees from US$30 000 to US$15 000. Fish harvest fees set at US$7,50 per tonne have also been removed.
Dr Soda said Cabinet also reviewed cross-cutting licences and fees that impact beyond the specified sub-sectors, including the standardisation of Local Authorities Development Levy and water levies under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
“The reviewed licences, permits and fees will be subjected to further refinements and a comprehensive schedule will be duly gazetted,” he said.
Cabinet also approved supportive structural policy reforms aimed at enhancing viability within the sub-sectors. These include the introduction of deterrent and punitive fines for thefts in the agriculture sector, to be expanded beyond livestock to cover all agricultural produce and equipment, including fisheries; the waiver of import licence requirements for agricultural equipment spare parts imported for a farmer’s own use; and a review of dam construction regulations to incentivise private sector investment in dam building.
Responding to media inquiries, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said Government was prepared to support State entities that might be affected by the fee reductions.
“As Treasury we are ready to fill any legitimate gaps that might arise from the pressures of reduced fees. Today we have covered the agriculture sub sector and we hope to complete the remaining three sectors within the next weeks,” said Prof Ncube.
He said the reductions would lower the cost of doing business and ultimately enable entities to pay taxes to Government.
Commenting on the recent policy direction requiring payment of local suppliers exclusively in the domestic currency, Prof Ncube said the measures were meant to promote use of the local unit and followed observations of overpricing by some suppliers.
“We noted that there was overpricing of goods and services by suppliers to the Government. Prices should now be within some specific range, the system will now reject prices that are above certain range. We will pay in ZiG for all locally produced goods,” he said.
Prof Ncube dismissed suggestions that exclusive payment in ZiG might trigger foreign exchange volatility.
“We have enough foreign currency to cover legitimate imports and the ZiG. We have enough instruments to mop up any excess liquidity.”
The reforms form part of President Mnangagwa’s initiatives to demonstrate commitment to Ease of Doing Business through regulatory fees reforms across all sectors of the economy.
To date, reforms have been rolled out in the livestock, tourism, transport, wholesale and retail sectors among others.
Peter Tanyanyiwa