South Africa's Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) has announced a number of levy increases with effect from 1 April 2009.
Citrus fruit will receive an inspection levy increase of 8.7 per cent, while deciduous products – including grapes, apples, pears and stonefruit –will receive no inspection levy increase, as their increases are setfor 1 October 2009.
Sea levies are set to increase by an average of 9.6 per cent. 'Where feasible, sea levies will be charged per container as opposed to pallet,' a spokesperson for the PPECB confirmed. 'Converted container rates will be based on 23 standard ISO pallets.'
Container inspection levies, meanwhile, will increase by 9.6 per cent. All other PPECB levies will increase by an average of 7.7 per cent. The levy increases are subject to levy rounding.
Although South Africa's average annual inflation rate (CPI) for 2008 stood at 11.5 per cent, the PPECB’s specific basket of services are understood to be subject to increases in excess of inflation.
However, the organisation insisted that every effort had been taken to limit levy increases below inflation as reflected in the actual levy increases passed on to industry.
'It must also be noted that there is uncertainty surrounding the potential impact that the world recession may have on volumes, which could impact negatively on the PPECB’s expected income for 2009/10,' the spokesperson added.
