Pests

: 04 September 2018; Hits: 11606

How to control deadly pig disease

African swine fever disease is an infectious disease of domestic and wild pigs that causes a mortality rate as high as 100 per cent.

The virus affects animals of all breeds and ages and is caused by a virus that causes high fever and bleeding with infected animals dying within two to 10 days.

The disease is transmitted through contaminated blood, tissues, secretions and excretions of sick and dead animals. Direct transmission occurs when a healthy animals comes into contact with a sick one.

Indirect transmission of the diseases happens when feeding with garbage containing infected meat, biological factors such as ticks and farm implements such as clothes.

Signs and symptoms of the disease include fever (40.5 to 45 degrees Celsius), reddening o the skin in white pigs, tips of ears, tail and lower aspects of chest and abdomen.

Farmer earns Sh100,000 a month from selling pig, cow and chicken feeds

Farmer applies pigs’ manure in celery farming to keep off moles off

swine fever

There can be darkening of skin and incoordination within 24 to 48 hours before death.

Animals’ exhibit increased pulse and respiratory rate, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody) and eyes discharge may exist.

In pregnant sows (female pigs), abortion may occur with survivors acting as virus carriers for life.

In chronic form various signs such as weight loss, ulcers and swellings of joints.

According to the Kenya government animal disease act cap 364, farmers are advised to bever allow visitors into the piggeries, avoid feeding pigs with leftovers from eating houses and never allow pigs to roam.

The piggeries can be maintained by disinfecting with magadi soda by erecting footpaths filled with a solution of magadi soda at all entries to pig dens.

The disease may result in carriers and hence farmers are advised to slaughter and bury all affected pigs.

According to the 2018 Economic Survey Report, the number of pigs slaughtered increased for the third consecutive year, to 360,100 in 2017 up from 313,600 in 2016.

Pigs are reared for their meat (pork), their skin is used to make leather and their hairs (fur) used to make brushes.

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: 24 August 2018; Hits: 9465

Government urged to remove the newly introduced 16 per cent VAT on pesticides

farmer praying pesticide Farmer spraying pesticide to crops. Pests and diseases contribute from 40 to 100 per cent crop loss if interventions by pesticides are not put in place. Photo courtesy.

The Agrochemical Association of Kenya (AAK) has opposed the introduction of 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on Agricultural Pest Control Products, saying the new tax would hurt farmers and consumers alike.

The association said the 16% VAT will ultimately mean an increase in cost of pesticides, which will translate to increase in cost of production for farmers and higher prices for foodstuff.

In a statement by CEO Evelyn Lusenaka, AAK said the use of improved agricultural inputs like seed, fertilizers and pesticides are necessary in improving agricultural production, ensuring food security and supporting livelihoods of value chain players that include importers, distributors and retailers of both agricultural inputs and produce.

“The introduction of 16% VAT will have the immediate effect of increasing the cost of agricultural production for poor farmers and also higher consumer prices for agricultural produce,” said Lusenaka.

Noting that Pests and diseases contribute from 40 to 100 per cent crop loss if interventions by pesticides are not put in place, Lusenaka said the new VAT poses serious threat to food security in the country.

“The county has noted emergence and upsurge of new pests such as Fall Army Worm (FAW), Tuta Absoluta among others which pose a threat to food security in Kenya if not controlled,” she said.

“Fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides alone account for over 50% of the production Gross Margins for many of the agricultural commodity enterprises,”

In the tax law (Amendment) Act 2018, Agricultural Pest Control Products (PCPs) have been deleted from Second schedule Part A which subsequently subjects all pesticides to 16% VAT.

Lusenaka , added that ultimately, there would be compounded adverse effect on the Big 4 agenda, reduced agricultural production, loss/reduced incomes and livelihoods for various value-chain players, increased food insecurity and reduced agricultural sector growth and hence effect on GDP.

She said: “The gains so far achieved in the Agriculture sector are likely to be eroded. The move to make the products taxable at 16% will make them more expensive. This may in turn have a direct negative bearing on food security, a key pillar in the Government’s Big 4 Agenda.”

The association urged the government to revert to the old tax regime where VAT on agricultural pest control products was zero-rated.

She said: “Favorable taxation of pesticides before the amendment contributed to enhanced affordability of pesticides and increased use of the same thus ensuring improved farm production and reduced post-harvest losses associated with pests and diseases.

BACKGROUND

Agricultural pest control products were exempt from VAT until 3 April 2017 when the VAT status of such products changed to zero-rated. This change was effected through the Finance Act, 2017 through lobbying by the Agrochem industry. This was lauded as a move towards ensuring affordability and accessibility of pest control products to farmers.

From the tax law (Amendment) Act 2018, Agricultural Pest Control Products (PCPs) have been deleted from Second schedule Part A which subsequently subjects all pesticides to 16% VAT.

Historically, the repealed Value Added Tax Act Cap 476, zero rated pest control products of tariff heading 3808 including insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicide, anti-sprouting products and plant growth regulators, disinfectants and similar products however, the enactment of the VAT Act 2013 (2^nd September 2013) changed tax status of Agricultural pest control products from Zero Rate to Exempt until 3 April 2017.

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: 22 August 2018; Hits: 6698

Farmers to pay more for pesticide as manufacturers move to implement VAT charges

pesticide application on tomato

Kenyan farmers are set to pay more for pesticides as manufacturers of the chemical or biological agent move to implement Value Added Tax (VAT) on agricultural pest control products after the removal of a tax exemption.

The zero-rated agricultural pest control products have undergone a shift to exempt status in the recent changes to the VAT Act. This will translate to higher prices for customers as the due date set for July 1.

VAT exemption means manufacturers cannot recoup input VAT, and therefore they are forced to factor it in the final price charged to the customer.

“We have no choice but to implement the new tax backdated to July 1, 2018. This could reduce use of chemicals in control of pests causing a drastic drop in food production,” said a statement the manufacturers.

“The 16 per cent VAT on Agricultural Pest Control Products backdated to July 1, 2018 is a big surprise to us since we engaged parliamentary committees of finance and agriculture. We also closely engaged the Treasury but it was all in vain.”

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According to a 2012 survey of pesticide use and application patterns by farmers in Central and Rift Valley regions in Kenya by a group of Jomo Kenyatta university of Agriculture and Technology scholars, about 25-35 per cent loss in agricultural produce is caused by pests and diseases which can be controlled by use of pesticides.

This means that the move will affect thousands of farmers who may not have enough financial effort to purchase the pesticides whose prices are set to increase in a week time.

Maize farmers who have been battling the army worm attack are likely to be big losers in the new tax order, having already chalked up huge expenses in purchasing additional pesticide to fight the worm.

Agriculture in Kenya employs nearly 40 per cent of the total labour force, and contributes about 35 per cent of the country’s GDP.

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