The lawmakers adopted a bill by which the tax of 1.5% levied on the export of walnuts, derivatives and walnut wood was annulled. The elimination of the tax was recommended by the World Health Organization of which Moldova forms part, IPN reports.
Deputy Minister of Economy Tudor Copaci said that initially this tax was transferred to the fund for encouraging walnut development, but in 2009 this fund was liquidated and the money was directed to the state budget.
The national walnut producers and exporters welcomed Prime Minister Iurie Leanca’s initiative to annul the tax on walnut exports. Chairman of the Association of Walnut Exporters of Moldova Dumitru Vicol has told IPN that by annulling this tax the authorities correct an older mistake that led to the double taxing of walnut producers and exporters.
At practical level, the tax on walnut exports will encourage the producers and exporters to invest in this field. Moldova exports annually 11,000-13,000 tonnes of walnuts, which is 2% of the total exports. 90% of the walnuts are exported to the EU.
