Mozambique: - Cooking Oil Producers Consider Tax On Plastic a Threat

Maputo — The Cooking Oil Industry Association (AIOPA) considers the recent tax on plastic containers introduced by the Mozambican government a threat, since the sector is still trying to establish itself.

The tax was introduced at the beginning of this year focused on taxing plastic recipients used in the industrialization of cooking oil.

"The tax is heavy for this sector, since the government introduced it taking into account the bottle of cooking oil. It negatively affects us as the margin of difference between the national and imported oil is 10 to 15 meticais (15 to 24 US cents) for a bottle of 300 millilitres', said AIOPA representative, João Matlombe, cited by the Beira daily "Diário de Moçambique.'

"The cooking oil currently pays this tax for each bottle', he stressed.

The cooking oil producers, according to Matlombe, acknowledge the polluter-pays principle but they contest the tax "whereas the mineral water producers, who also use plastic bottles, are free from it. But we know that the bottles of water pollute the consumer market, promoting garbage in the main urban centres.'

According to AIOPA, the government attitude contradicts the national industrialization strategy.

"We have been trying to talk to the government to abolish the tax but we do not hear good news. The government says that we must pay the tax in question and insist that the companies must resort to glass bottles in order to avoid the tax payment', Matlombe said.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.