TAXES ON AGRICULTURE VERY DANGEROUS


About 2 decades ago, the masses jubilated and thus drummed support for the president for scrapping the Graduated tax which to them was a bother (to contribute to the economy of the country). They welcomed the idea by pouring votes to the President, by then I was a young boy in primary school and I watched these events with interest.

Much as the populace thinks the graduated tax was scrapped, the authorities say it was suspended to study a few economics on the same and it will be re-introduced which I doubt especially in this regime. The introduction of heavy indirect tax regime is now being felt by the same who jubilated when the graduated tax was scrapped. Taxes on essentials such as salt, paraffin, sugar, seeds, hoes, fertilizers are the latest worst scenarios the former jubilants have to face.

It is worth noting that Agriculture is the backbone of this country and as such helping this sector grow will improve the economy, but with the introduction of new taxes on hoes, seeds, pesticides( which are currently not affordable) will only disrupt agriculture. How many elites engage in serious agriculture? They consider this a peasant work and definitely it is the peasants to suffer the implication of this.

Rather, there is need to widen the tax base of the economy to other spheres but not Agriculture because many poor farmers may abandon this course of production and hence the intended revenue to be collected by this tax will be in vain. I call this short term planning.

I therefore call upon the MPS not to pass the taxes on hoes, fertilizers, seeds, pesticides because there will be a problem, abandonment of Agriculture!


Michael Aboneka Jr.

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