São Paulo – Morocco announced the exemption of value-added tax (VAT) on the import of up to 20,000 tonnes of beef, goat, sheep and camel meat from Brazil. According to information released on Monday (21) by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the measure was communicated by Morocco’s ministries of agriculture, economy and finance, and industry and commerce.
According to the statement from Brazil’s ministry, the exemption from this import tax aims to “facilitate access for Brazilian products to the Moroccan market, thus strengthening trade relations between the countries.” The Moroccan document, as reported by the ministry, emphasizes the importance of this type of agreement in maintaining the balance of food supply and prices for the final consumer.
The ministry attributes this achievement to a Brazilian government mission conducted in April and led by the agriculture ministry’s deputy secretary of commerce and international relations, Julio Ramos, with support from Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Brazilian ambassador in Rabat, Alexandre Parola, and the agricultural attaché in Morocco, Ellen Laurindo.
Morocco also removes tax on live animals
The Moroccan official letter also establishes the exemption on the import of up to 120,000 heads of cattle and 100,000 sheep from Brazil. In both cases, the parafiscal tax—designated for non-state activities—will continue to be charged to importers. In 2023, Morocco imported 2,800 tonnes of beef from Brazil, compared to 63 tonnes the previous year.
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Morocco allows feed ingredient imports from Brazil
Translated by Guilherme Miranda