Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
Specialist Writer – Agribusiness
Livestock stakeholders are awaiting a Statutory Instrument from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development on the review of licences, permits, levies and fees ahead of the March 31 deadline.
In his remarks at the first Cabinet sitting of the year, President Mnangagwa said the review of licences and fees aligns with the Second Republic’s commitment to reform and enhance the business environment, attract investment and improve service delivery.
The Government reviewed business regulations for livestock, dairy and stockfeed sub-sectors in September 2025 to enhance the investment climate, encourage domestic production and attract foreign direct investment.
A total of 96 regulatory fees in the livestock, dairy and stockfeed sectors will be eliminated or significantly reduced to enhance ease of doing business.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has since taken the lead and issued Statutory Instrument (SI) 41 of 2026, which has abolished or reduced some fees that apply to the livestock sector.
Among the abolished are butchery and fishmonger fees within a retail shop, carcass inspection, livestock movement clearance, cattle levy, dairy permit and generator levy.
Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC) executive administrator, Dr Reneth Mano, said they are waiting for the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to gazette the SI.
“We are awaiting an SI from the Ministry of Agriculture, which will address all the levies and fees to enhance ease of doing business,” he said.
Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) chief executive, Mrs Paidamoyo Chadoka said the review of some levies and fees was a good start.
Agriculture is the pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy, supporting 65 percent of livelihoods and the bulk of the country’s exports.
However, the sector has been experiencing challenges, including excessive regulations, high compliance costs and duplication of responsibilities across institutions.
For instance, dairy farmers required 25 permits across 12 agencies, feed manufacturers needed 23 permits from 10 departments, beef cattle farmers (18), abattoirs (20), dairy processors (21) and feed processors 23 requirements.
Not only are these requirements time-consuming, but they place a heavy financial and administrative burden on businesses.
The Government has seen it fit to remove duplication, reduce costs and simplify compliance to promote efficiency, competitiveness and formalisation.
