MPONGWE District Council has urged Government to reintroduce the crop levy as its suspension has negatively affected the operations of the rural local authority.

The crop levy was suspended by Government in 2009, a move that has affected and lowered the council's revenue collection.

The district, which prides itself as the hub of agricultural activities in the country, is home to ZAMBEEF, DAR Farms, Roan Antelope and Olympic Milling, among others commercial farmers that grow maize and other cash crops on a large-scale.

Council Secretary Chanda Mushipi said the local authority was not seeing any contribution from the commercial farmers in the area after the suspension of the levy.

He said the council used to collect K2.5 million annually from the crop levy and that each farmer was contributing K1 for each bag to the council.

Mr Mushipi said the crop levy formed 80 per cent of the revenue of the council which could have been used to develop the area and that its absence was a huge challenge.

Mr Mushipi said this at Lufwanyama High School during his presentation on the district's status to the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Peter Kasanda and other officials.

He also said the provision of quality drinking water in the district was diminishing due to the increased population the area.

He, however, appealed to the Government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, to consider increasing the supply of water in the area.