Africa-Press – Mozambique. The government is to introduce a mandatory tax control stamp for domestically produced alcoholic beverages. The decision enters into force on 19 November. It was approved by a Ministerial Decree of 21 July this year and aims to control the circulation of alcoholic beverages in the domestic market.
Tax Authority representative in Maputo city, Sidónio Jacob, said that the measure would not affect the beverage production chain on a large scale, but Zuneid Calumias, Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), says that sealing will suffocate the business sector.
“We have the subject under debate. One of the themes was the sealing of beverages and tobacco which the industries in the sector have been objecting to, on the grounds that it constitutes a tax burden which will negatively affect their revenues. This is because it is a cost which could be avoided, taking in account that, in most of these companies, there is inspection during production. Companies therefore fail to understand the reason for introducing another measure which will further increase production costs,” Calumias says in an economic analysis of business performance in the third quarter of the year.
Ban on beverages which do not bear the tax stamp
The Tax Authority has again reaffirmed that it will ban, until February of next year, the circulation of beers and other beverages which do not bear the manufacturing tax seal.
The information was made public on Monday by Tax Authority delegate Maria Machicoa, during a visit to a factory producing spirit drinks in the municipality of Matola.
The measure aims to combat the smuggling of drinks and ensure the payment of this specific consumption tax.
As part of the fight against smuggling of beverages, AT will introduce, on the 19th of November this year, the third stage of the process of sealing beer and other ready-to-drink beverages.
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