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{
    "id": 96237,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/96237/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 53,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kenyatta",
    "speaker_title": "The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 168,
        "legal_name": "Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta",
        "slug": "uhuru-kenyatta"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. (a) The Deputy Speaker directed that we provide more information by drawing comparison between wheat produced by Kenyan farmers and rice produced by Tanzania and Uganda farmers which attracts 35 per cent Import Duty to discourage undue competition, whereas the one of Kenya is rated at 10 per cent Import Duty which encourages competition from European farmers. Mr. Speaker, Sir, since the 1st of January 2005 when the Customs Union Common External Tariff (CUCET)came into force, rice and wheat grains were classified as sensitive products attracting common external tariff of 75 per cent or US$2,000 per metric ton (whichever is higher) and 35 per cent respectively. Wheat flour imported into the EAC also attracted a higher duty of 60 per cent. As demonstrated above, rice farmers in the EAC enjoy a higher protection in tariff than wheat farmers because EAC as a region produces about 80 per cent of its rice demand while it produces only 20 per cent of its wheat demand. Currently, both Uganda and Tanzania apply a duty rate of 75 per cent on all imported rice while Kenya applies a lower rate of 35 per cent. The reason of the higher protective rate for Uganda and Tanzania is because the two countries are self sufficient in rice production. Kenya’s lower rate of 35 per cent is due to two factors: One, is a bi-lateral agreement with the Government of Pakistan imposing a 35 per cent Import Duty on Pakistan rice in exchange for Kenya tea exports to Pakistan. Two, is the need to provide some protection to our farmers who produce about 80,000 metric tons annually against the national demand of 300,000 metric tons. On wheat, Kenya produces about a third of its national demand while Tanzania produces only 5 per cent of its demand. The rest of the EAC does not produce wheat, bringing the total production in the region to about 20 per cent of the demand. Wheat grain is taxable at 35 per cent while wheat flour imported into the region is taxable at 60 per cent under the EAC Common External Tariff (EACCET)."
}