04 Aug 2026

Revenue collected from livestock import duties directly funds the essential veterinary services and quarantine systems needed to protect biosecurity, Vice President and Minister of Finance, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe told Parliament on Monday.

Debating a proposed motion to scrap the levy, Mr Gaolathe, also, Gaborone Bonnington South MP, outlined government’s firm stance against removing import taxes on livestock from neighbouring countries. 

Mr Gaolathe acknowledged the desire to enhance national herd quality, however emphasised that import taxes served as a strategic safeguard to ensure that animal movement remained strictly controlled, a necessity made even more critical by ongoing disruptions from Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks.

He warned that increasing livestock imports, even for genetic improvement, posed severe disease risks that could jeopardise the country’s international export standing and erase years of livestock management progress.

“Botswana’s standing as a responsible trading partner hinges on adherence to stringent animal health standards,” he stated, noting that any policy shift must carefully evaluate economic and biosecurity consequences.

He further cautioned that a blanket tax exemption would distort domestic market signals and favour imported livestock at the expense of local breeding initiatives. 

Sustainable growth, he explained, required building local genetic capacity rather than displacing it. 

On broader economic priorities, Mr Gaolathe added that tax policy must remain balanced within the nation’s fiscal framework to ensure continuous support for general agriculture, veterinary protection and rural development.

Contributing to the debate, Minister of Lands and Agriculture and MP for Goodhope-Mmathethe, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, agreed that the import tax levy remained a vital tool for managing agricultural challenges. 

Dr Dikoloti pointed out that government already offered reasonable subsidies to cushion farmers, arguing that the sector should be protected through alternative avenues rather than waiving import duties on foreign livestock. Following the opposition from the ministers, Member of Parliament for Serowe West, Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe, subsequently withdrew the motion. 

Prior to withdrawing the motion, Mr Kedikilwe had argued that waiving import duties would help local farmers upgrade their animal breeds by lowering costs, broadening access to diverse genetics and driving farm productivity. 

He indicated that importers already bear heavy transport, feeding and accommodation expenses at a time when the country continued striving to grow its national herd.

The legislator drew parallels to agricultural equipment, which was currently exempted from import taxes to boost national food security, contending that breeding livestock deserved the same treatment. 

He had also noted that government would likely offset the initial tax revenue loss through higher income taxes generated from increased farm productivity and sales. ENDS