DUSHANBE, November 5, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Speaking at enlarged meeting of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) to discuss the draft national budget for 2011, MP Ismoil Talbakov proposed on November 4 to impose tax on livestock.

According to Talbakov, the livestock tax could become an additional source to replenish the country’s budget.

“At present there are 4.5 million head of sheep and goats and more than 2 million head of cattle in Tajikistan,” said MP, “It is at least quite unfair; cultivators have to pay tax on land while farmers engaged in stock raising do not pay tax on livestock operations.”

Talbakov added that the livestock tax had been collected in the Soviet times but has been repealed after Tajikistan gained independence.

In the meantime, Minister of Finance Safarali Najmiddinov noted that the livestock tax would not yet been introduced in the country.   “We have repeatedly received such proposals,” said the minister, “These proposals will be considered in the future, but it is still premature about this today.”

Najmiddinov said that the livestock population had considerably decreased in the country during the civil war (1992-1997).  “In this connection, to promote rehabilitation and development of livestock farming in the country the government has decided to repeal the livestock tax and this decision has yielded positive results.”