68. Furthermore, to give a boost to our food security programme I am announcing the following measures:
• First, Government is contributing Rs 30 million towards a new Crop Insurance Scheme for planters to be operated by the Small Farmers Welfare Fund;
• Second, Government will increase the subsidy on the production of onion and potato seeds;
• Third, to better protect livestock from outbreak of diseases, we are setting up a National Animal Identification System to electronically identify each animal with a unique number;
• Fourth, to provide an outlet for the sale of fattened pigs at a reasonable price and ensure timely payment to the breeders, the Mauritius Meat Authority will set up a new system for the collection, slaughter and sale of pigs; and
• Fifth, we are exceptionally offering a solution to a heavy financial burden that some pig breeders have been carrying for too long. I am pleased to announce that the DBM has agreed to write off all outstanding loans contracted under the Pig Breeders Re-launching Scheme.
69. Madam Speaker, the tea sector is experiencing new dynamism but is still vulnerable.From July to September, the amount of tea leaves harvested falls due to the winter season. This causes a drop in the income of small tea growers.
70. I am therefore providing a monthly income support of 50 cents per kilo of tea leaves harvested by small planters during the 3 months winter period.
71. The cane industry continues to be a mainstay of our economy and occupies a place of prominence in our environment, local renewable energy policies as well as in our trade equation. In recent years, the industry has been buffeted by a sharp decrease in the world sugar price.
72. To this end, Government has set up a Ministerial Committee to assess the situation and to come up with an appropriate action plan for the cane industry to meet its challenges.
73. In the meantime, to support planters, in particular small planters, we are:
i. Increasing the customs duty on import of sugar from
15 percent to 80 percent. I will be moving for a resolution to that effect;
ii. And we are making provision in the budget of the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority (MCIA) to meet the shortfall arising from the suspension of CESS payments for Crop 2018.