In Côte d'Ivoire, the debate on taxation in the poultry sector has reignited. The General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) has officially approved a 50% reduction in VAT on inputs and feed for poultry, lowering the rate from 18% to 9% . While this measure is seen as a first step, those working on the ground are calling for the complete elimination of the tax.

A relief tinged with dissatisfaction

The National Association of Small-Scale Poultry Farmers of Côte d'Ivoire ( ANAM-CI ) responded with a press release. While expressing its gratitude to the government for this "attentive listening," the organization believes that this is not enough.

For farmers, this decrease is a step forward, but it does not replace the structural needs that the sector suffers from:

1. Lack of direct financial support for farms.
2. Lack of training programs and technical modernization.
3. High-performance agricultural equipment is a critical need .

The goal: The complete elimination of the tax

ANAM-CI maintains its initial demand: the complete elimination of VAT . According to the association, poultry represents the most accessible animal protein for Ivorian households. Maintaining a tax, even a reduced one, would unnecessarily burden a sector that it considers to be of national and social importance.

"Our priority is not increasing prices. We are thinking first and foremost about consumers and the social dimension of our product," says ANAM-CI.

A call for national solidarity

Despite the tax pressure, farmers reassure the public: no increase in the price of chicken is planned .

To achieve their request for total exemption, ANAM-CI is now calling on members of parliament, consumer organizations and all the vital forces of the nation to support their cause, which they describe as "just and national".