Indaba Agriculture Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) has welcomed the decision by government to lift the ban on raw hides and skin exportation.
In her budget presentation to parliament last week Friday, Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe announced the lifting of the ban on exports of raw hides and skin with a 10 percent export duty introduced.
Speaking during a presentation on agriculture status in Lusaka, IAPRI Research Associate Auckland Kuteya says the decision by government will help grow the Agriculture sector as it will promote diversification.
Mr Kuteya has charged that if the export of raw hides and skins is not carefully monitored it may affect trade.
According to the study that was carried out by the IAPRI it was discovered that sixty percent of the farmers in the country like the e-voucher program.
He further says the pronouncement by the government that forty to about sixty percent of farmers to be put on direct input supply will not be effective because no proper preparation has been done.
He says IAPRI fears that like of preparedness may negatively affect the distribution of the inputs.
Mr. Kuteya says for e-voucher to be successful, there is need for both the private and public sectors to participant.
He says the institute observed that the e-v program was faced some communication challenges.
“Putting up the communication tower across the county will help improve connectivity among the beneficiaries. Going forward government has to ensure that the cared are electrified before the redeeming process start,” he said.
He says the institute observed that the late release of funds by the ministry of finance had negative impact on the e-voucher program, hence calling for the ministry to be releasing the e-voucher funds on time.
And Mr Kuteya says IAPRI has also welcomed the pronouncement by the minister of finance to revise the FRA act.
