Through a circular, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said the move was in line with the provisions of the Economic Community of West African States’ Common External Tariff (CET).
The approval was given by President Muhammadu Buhari as part of the fiscal policy measures of the Federal Government for the country to boost the economy.
The ECOWAS CET, which will cover the 2017 to 2019 fiscal periods, is composed of three categories made up of an Import Adjustment Tax list of 173 tariff lines, a national list consisting of 91 items and an import prohibition list, which is applicable to certain goods originating from non-ECOWAS member states.
“This is to confirm that His Excellency, Mr. President, has approved the 2016 fiscal policy measures made up of the supplementary protection measures for implementation together with the ECOWAS CET 2015-2019 with effect from 17th of October, 2016.
“Consequently, all transactions prior to the effective date of this circular shall be subjected to the tariff rates applicable before the coming into effect of this 2016 fiscal policy measures.”
A number of imported food industry related products had the tax rate decreased in the new directive, providing a critical reprieve to importers of such products, who have faced higher costs related to a devalued local currency Naira and a shortage of forex in the country.
The items include milk and cream; tea; fats of sheep or goat; malt extract; tomatoes prepared or preserved by vinegar; prepared glues and adhesives; synthetic organic colouring matter; denatured ethyl alcohol for medical, pharmaceutical or scientific purpose, whose import duties were reduced from 10 per cent to five per cent.
The government also approved a reduction of the applicable tax rate from 10 per cent to five per cent for tubes, pipes, hoses, sheets, foil, tape, polyethylene, paper and paper board.
A reduction on import tax on packaging will bode well for the food industry, which has seen a huge rise in the cost of packaging since the economic recession hit the country in 2016.
The circular also approved a zero per cent import duty for machineries and equipment used in sectors such as agriculture, cement, hospitality, power, iron and steel, solid minerals, textile and aviation. Before the approval, the import duties for machinery and equipment used in these sectors were set at five per cent.
However, the circular also reinforced the ban placed on the importation of some items, including refined vegetable oil, cocoa butter, spaghetti/noodles, fruit juice in retail packs, corrugated paper and paper boards, water, and liquid dietary supplements.
2017
Source=http://foodbusinessafrica.com/index.php/14-sample-data-articles/6067-nigeria-lowers-import-duties-on-milk-packaging-materials?
ALLEGED CORRUPTION AND NIGERIAN VICE CHANCELLORS
At the last count, about 3 Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities are facing allegations bordering on stealing fraud and mismanagement of University funds. The years 2016 and 2017 have been particularly bad for tertiary education in the country. In previous times, professors were respected in their dignifying aloofness by the society who expected much in terms of research from them . They shunned unearned money and embraced spartan self discipline and living. The belief then was that primitive acquisitions were sources of foul distraction that could not do the society any good. Theories were verbalized to support of their action and in submissive respect, the society left them ‘on their own’. In fact they ‘avoided’ unnecessary pecuniary advantages. So what has changed between then and now. Is the bug of poverty now more biting that the don has to drop his earlier cherished ideals?. But there was poverty(or if you like, frugal living) then also and was satisfied, even if grudgingly. So, why is he no longer satisfied.
If the academia is corrupt, then is there any reason why the moral free fall in the society will abate ?
The academics in Nigeria need to have an urgent meeting, if you like call it national conference on this issue, before universities are rendered worthless. One also expects the Committee of Vice Chancellors to respond swiftly and decisively
The Nigerian universities need to be saved and the time is NOW
posted 15 Feb 2017
Roundup Must Carry Cancer Warning Label, Judge Decrees
In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), reclassified glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen” (Class 2A).1,2
The decision was based on “limited evidence” showing the weed killer can cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and lung cancer in humans, along with “convincing evidence” linking it to cancer in animals.
The IARC is considered the global gold standard for carcinogenicity studies, so its determination was of considerable importance. It’s also one of the five research agencies from which the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) — the California agency of environmental hazards — gets its reports to declare carcinogens under Prop 65.
Monsanto has vigorously pursued a retraction of the IARC’s damning report,3 to prevent California from pursuing a cancer warning on Roundup and other, newer weed killers in the pipeline, designed for use on the company’s latest genetically engineered (GE) crops.
Monsanto Forced to Put Cancer Warning on Roundup
Their efforts have so far failed, and Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Kapetan recently struck another nail in the company’s coffin, striking down Monsanto’s attempt to overturn California’s 2015 ruling to require Prop 65 warnings on glyphosate.4,5,6
While Kapetan has yet to issue a formal decision on the matter, Monsanto says it will challenge the ruling, if upheld. As reported by LA Progressive:7
Roundup isn’t the only weed killer that would have to bear the Prop 65 warning label. Glyphosate is also found in Ortho Groundclear, KleenUp, Aquamaster, Sharpshooter, StartUp,Touchdown, Total Traxion, Vector and Vantage Plus Max II and others.
In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), reclassified glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen” (Class 2A).1,2
The decision was based on “limited evidence” showing the weed killer can cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and lung cancer in humans, along with “convincing evidence” linking it to cancer in animals.
The IARC is considered the global gold standard for carcinogenicity studies, so its determination was of considerable importance. It’s also one of the five research agencies from which the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) — the California agency of environmental hazards — gets its reports to declare carcinogens under Prop 65.
Monsanto has vigorously pursued a retraction of the IARC’s damning report,3 to prevent California from pursuing a cancer warning on Roundup and other, newer weed killers in the pipeline, designed for use on the company’s latest genetically engineered (GE) crops.
Source Dr Mercola
For more on this please visit.http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/02/14/monsantos-roundup-cancer-warning-label.aspx?utm_source
Feb 14, 2017
SA to import GM maize for first time from US
SOUTH AFRICA – The government has approved imports of genetically modified maize from the US for the first time as the country seeks to bring in the grain after its worst drought since records began 104 years ago.
The country will allow the import of both white and yellow GM maize from the US, said Dirk Kok, a spokesperson for the secretariat of the Pretoria-based South African Cereals and Oilseeds and Trade Association, in an interview on Monday.
“The door is open to imports from the US” said Kok, whose organisation represents grain and oil seed traders. Local “prices will come down”.
South Africa has become a net importer of maize for the first time since 2008 after the drought slashed this year’s harvest by about a quarter to 7.97 million tonnes, the smallest crop since 2006.
That’s pushed up prices on Johannesburg’s South African Futures Exchange with white maize, used in South Africa to make the country’s staple food of maize meal, surging 80% since the end of 2014 to R3 855 a metric tonnes.
Yellow maize, used for animal feed, has jumped 45% in the same period to R3 147 a ton.
The decision “is critical,” Wandile Sihlobo, the head of economic and agribusiness intelligence at the Agricultural Business Chamber, said by phone from Pretoria.
“We are going to see a more strong correlation between the yellow maize price and the US price. The reaction of the South African farmers is going to be interesting.”
By the end of April South Africa may import 300 000 tonnes of GM white maize from the US and 500 000 tonnes of yellow maize, he said.
South Africa imported 555 241 tonnes of white maize between May 1 and November 25, or 65% of the imports forecast for the season ending April 30, according to the Agricultural Business Chamber. Almost all of that came from Mexico.
“This will allow US corn, both white and yellow, to ship into South Africa fairly easily,” Cary Sifferath, senior director of Washington-based US Grains Council, said by phone.
“In the short term, as they wait for harvest in late April to May, there could be some need for some additional white corn imports.” – Bloomberg
Decmber 6, 2016; http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Agribusiness/sa-to-import-gm-maize-for-first-time-from-us-20161206
Nigeria places zero duties on agric equipment, lowers import duties on milk, packaging materials
NIGERIA – The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a reduction in the import duties of 115 items in various sectors of the economy in a bid to promote development in critical sectors of the economy.
Through a circular, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said the move was in line with the provisions of the Economic Community of West African States’ Common External Tariff (CET).
The approval was given by President Muhammadu Buhari as part of the fiscal policy measures of the Federal Government for the country to boost the economy.
The ECOWAS CET, which will cover the 2017 to 2019 fiscal periods, is composed of three categories made up of an Import Adjustment Tax list of 173 tariff lines, a national list consisting of 91 items and an import prohibition list, which is applicable to certain goods originating from non-ECOWAS member states.
“This is to confirm that His Excellency, Mr. President, has approved the 2016 fiscal policy measures made up of the supplementary protection measures for implementation together with the ECOWAS CET 2015-2019 with effect from 17th of October, 2016.
“Consequently, all transactions prior to the effective date of this circular shall be subjected to the tariff rates applicable before the coming into effect of this 2016 fiscal policy measures.”
A number of imported food industry related products had the tax rate decreased in the new directive, providing a critical reprieve to importers of such products, who have faced higher costs related to a devalued local currency Naira and a shortage of forex in the country.
The items include milk and cream; tea; fats of sheep or goat; malt extract; tomatoes prepared or preserved by vinegar; prepared glues and adhesives; synthetic organic colouring matter; denatured ethyl alcohol for medical, pharmaceutical or scientific purpose, whose import duties were reduced from 10 per cent to five per cent.
The government also approved a reduction of the applicable tax rate from 10 per cent to five per cent for tubes, pipes, hoses, sheets, foil, tape, polyethylene, paper and paper board.
A reduction on import tax on packaging will bode well for the food industry, which has seen a huge rise in the cost of packaging since the economic recession hit the country in 2016.
The circular also approved a zero per cent import duty for machineries and equipment used in sectors such as agriculture, cement, hospitality, power, iron and steel, solid minerals, textile and aviation. Before the approval, the import duties for machinery and equipment used in these sectors were set at five per cent.
However, the circular also reinforced the ban placed on the importation of some items, including refined vegetable oil, cocoa butter, spaghetti/noodles, fruit juice in retail packs, corrugated paper and paper boards, water, and liquid dietary supplements.
2017
Source=http://foodbusinessafrica.com/index.php/14-sample-data-articles/6067-nigeria-lowers-import-duties-on-milk-packaging-materials?
EU PROLONGS GLYPHOSATE LICENCE BY 18 MONTHS
A new study has found that low-dose and long-term exposure to the weed killer Roundup causes liver disease in female rats.
However, the company,Monsanto has reacted, saying that the study used “flawed data” from 2012.
The Roundup herbicide contains controversial ingredient glyphosate, which is now one of the world’s most popular weed killers. The use of glyphosate has triggered strong reactions in the EU amid fears the product is carcinogenic.
In late June, the European Commission decided to extend the authorisation licence for glyphosate by 18 months, until the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) gives an opinion on the substance. The ECHA’s opinion is expected in June or September this year.
Commission prolongs glyphosate licence by 18 months
The European Commission has decided to extend the licence for glyphosate by 18 months, after member states failed to achieve a qualified majority in favour or against the executive’s proposal.
EurActiv.com
Liver disease
A new study published this week (9 January) in Scientific Reports found that low levels of exposure to the weed killer Roundup over an extended period causes liver disease in rats.
The study focused on Roundup and not glyphosate alone and stated that it was not possible “to attribute the toxicity of the whole agricultural herbicide formulation to a given component”.
“Future studies involving the administration of glyphosate alone would shed light on this issue,” the study concluded.
Female rats were administered with an extremely low dose of Roundup weed killer over a two-year period and found to suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The dose selected was below what people are commonly exposed to in the everyday environment and 75,000 times below what is permitted by EU regulators.
For a two-year period, female rats were administered a dose of Roundup, approximately 75,000 times below what is permitted by EU regulators for human exposure, and were found to suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Researchers pointed out that it was the first time that a causative link between consumption of Roundup at a “real world” environmental dose and a serious disease condition was identified.
Dr. Michael Antoniou, an author of the study, stressed that the findings were “worrying” and called EU policy-makers to reconsider the safety evaluation of glyphosate-based herbicides.
According to Antoniou, fatty liver disease occurs in at least one in five of the general population, and in the vast majority of people with type 2 diabetes.
source=euractiv.com
CLIMATE CHANGE=GERMANY MAY CONSIDER TAX ON ANIMAL PRODUCTS
Meat and dairy farming is more damaging to the environment than producing cereals, fruits or vegetables. Germany’s Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has called for higher taxes on animal products, but the idea is controversial. EurActiv Germany reports.
Agriculture is a big contributor to climate change. In a recent study, the UBA highlighted the fact that farming is the largest emitter of nitrous oxide and methane, a greenhouse gas around 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
This conclusion led the UBA to a controversial conclusion, namely that VAT reductions on animal products such as meat and cheese amount to environmentally harmful subsidies. It put the current value of this tax break at €5.2 billion.
The agency criticised the fact that animal products benefit from a VAT rate of just 7%, the same rate as cereals, fruits or vegetables, despite the fact that they are far more damaging to the environment.
For example, one kilo of beef can generate up to 28kg of CO2 equivalent. For the same quantity of fruits and vegetables, emissions are typically less than 1kg.
Not only are meat and cheese resource-intensive to produce, but animals like cows also emit large amounts of methane when digesting food. According to environmental groups, the production of animal feed is also a big contributor to the greenhouse effect, as virgin forests are often cleared to make space for soya production.
“In future, animal food products should be taxed at the regular 19% rate. In return, the state could use the billions this would generate to further lower the 7% reduced rate. This could help cut the cost of fruits and vegetables or public transport. Both would be good for the climate and benefit citizens,” said UBA President Maria Krautzberger.
For the UBA, environment and climate-damaging subsidies in other sectors are still far too high, endangering Germany’s Paris climate commitments. In 2012, Berlin handed out €57bn in climate-harmful subsidies.
According to the UBA, most of these subsidies are given to the transport sector (€28.6bn), followed by the energy sector (€20.3bn). Transport is responsible for 18% of all German emissions and energy for more than one-third, making them among the most environmentally unfriendly sectors in the German economy.
Source+ euractiv.com
Japan has overtaken Russia
Japan has overtaken Russia as the fourth most important export destination of EU agri-food products after the United States, China, and Switzerland, a new European Commission report has found (23 December).
According to the Monitoring EU Agri-Food Trade report, from November 2015 to October 2016, EU agri-food exports reached a value of €129.9 billion, a 1.9% increase in value terms compared to the same period last year.
Diplomat: Changing eating habits in new markets favour EU exports
A rising middle class in emerging markets, focused on food quality, bodes well for EU agri-exports, said Marc Vanheukelen, the European Union’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO). EurActiv.com reports from Athens.
EurActiv.com
The export surplus for the 12-month period increased to more than €18 billion.
Exports to Russia further down
According to the report, major gains were recorded in agri-food exports to the USA (+8%), China (+12%), Japan (+0.4 billion) and Vietnam (+330 million).
New CAP is still struggling to find new export
Exports to Russia further decreased, from €5.7 billion in November 2014 to October 2015, to €5.5 billion during the period November 2015 to October 2016, representing a 5% reduction in value.
Russia now is the fifth most popular destination for the EU agri-food exports behind the US, China, Switzerland, and Japan.
Japan and the trade deal
Japan has become the fourth most important export market for EU agri-food worldwide. The net surplus in agri-food trade with Tokyo has been estimated at €5 billion annually for the last few years.
EU producers mainly export to Japan pork, wine and vermouth, cheese and spirits and liqueurs.
Negotiations for a free trade agreement between the EU and Japan are ongoing and, according to the Commission, a successful conclusion would open further opportunities for the EU agri-food sector.
Source=euractiv.com
HOW BIOTECHNOLOGY IS REGULATED IN US
Read more
Mycotoxins and urine testing
Of recent, a lot of research activities have been on regarding diagnosis of mycotoxicosis in man or livestock. Detecting the particular mycotoxin eg aflatoxin, fumonisin may be the expected alarm that could send victims on an endless spending errands focussing on chemotherapy . Blood and urine are regular candidates of such test
However, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),noted that these test results can lead to “misinformation and fear in the workplace; incorrect diagnoses; unnecessary, inappropriate and potentially harmful medical interventions; and unnecessary or inappropriate environmental and occupational evaluations.”
Also the US FDA has not approved any urine test for mycotoxins. The CDC warns that such tests have not been approved for diagnostic purposes, meaning that you can’t trust them to tell you if anything is wrong with you or what to do about it.
Be guided, seek advice from professionals
Source:
“Use of Unvalidated Urine Mycotoxin Tests for the Clinical Diagnosis of Illness — United States, 2014.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, February 20, 2015, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6406a7.htm
Mycotoxins, livestock and death
Mycotoxins in animal fodder, particularly silage, can decrease the performance of farm animals and potentially kill them
So beware of what you feed your animals. Seek appropriate guide from professionals