Amory Ice Cream Products On Display
Photo By Erasmus Williams
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 23, 2009 (CUOPM)
Cabinet has agreed to waive the import duty and consumption tax on the importation of raw materials used in the manufacture of Ice Cream.
Minister of Finance, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris said the decision was taken following a overview he submitted of the sector, in which he highlighted the importance of the indigenous ice cream manufacturing sector to the economy; the challenges that it faces; and the need to adopt a fiscal policy to incentivise and stimulate the growth of ice cream manufacturing in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Concessions granted under this Cabinet decision will be placed in effect for a period of 36 months from January 2010, and are available to all ice cream manufacturers in the Federation.
Also included in the package of incentives is the extension of these concessions to refrigerated delivery vans, to be used in conformity with the industry standard of transporting ice cream products in a specialised manner. This will greatly help ice cream manufacturers in the distribution process, from the manufacturing facilities to places such as supermarkets and hotels.
Dr. Harris, said that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce believes that these new initiatives will serve as a stimulus to the ice cream manufacturing sector and the measures will assist local ice cream manufacturers in achieving expanded production quantities through the utilisation of inactive capacity, that several local ice cream manufacturing plants presently possess.
He further indicated that this assistance from Government, coupled with the appropriate efforts of the businesses involved, can lead to greater competitiveness vis a vis imported ice cream.. He stressed that an increased competitive stature will enable ice cream manufactures to earn a larger share of the market in the domestic economy.
The Minister also used the occasion to encourage entrepreneurs, in this sector, to look globally for additional trading prospects. In doing so they should earnestly seek to penetrate and permeate both regional and international markets, as the world has become a global village, more than ever before.
“My Ministry is always willing to assist local industries to help them grow and develop and where possible we have been articulating a responsive policy framework to incentivize the private sector,” said Dr. Harris.