Farm valuations up 30%

COMMERCIAL farmers will soon have to fork out 30 per cent more in land tax, after a new farm valuation roll was made public yesterday.

Lands and Resettlement Minister Jerry Ekandjo launched the roll, which will be valid until 2012. “The valuation roll will be available for public inspection for 30 days until October 3 so that farmers can check if all details are correct,” Ekandjo said yesterday.”The money from the land tax paid will be used to acquire land to resettle previously disadvantaged Namibians as well as to develop and improve commercial agricultural land,” Ekandjo added.About 92 per cent of all commercial land was valued for the drafting of the first valuation roll for 2004.This year 92 per cent of the valuations were verified.”I call on the owners of the remaining farms to verify their land [valuations] at those offices where copies of the valuation roll will be on display,” the Minister said.Those who fail to do so and are found out, would have to pay hefty fines plus the tax they have owed since 2004.Fines can reach up to N$20 000.The new valuations of farms are about 30 per cent higher than in 2004, when the first valuation roll was produced.Mackay Rigava, Land Valuer at the Ministry, said this was because of an increase of farm prices on the market over the past four years.”We took our valuation guidelines from the market developments,” Rigava told The Namibian yesterday.Rigava expects some N$30 million a year to flow into the coffers of the Ministry from the land tax, up from the annual N$27 million over the past three years.Minister Ekandjo then proceeded to check the value of the farm he owns north of Okahandja.As an emerging commercial farmer, he is exempt from the land tax.About 12 547 commercial land units are registered on the roll.These are not only large farms but also small plots belonging to municipalities, churches or companies.The president of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), Raimar von Hase, also attended the launch of the valuation roll.His farm’s value has risen by over 30 per cent.He also noticed that his farm was entered twice on the roll.”I already notified the Ministry last time, but it is still not corrected,” he told The Namibian.The valuation is only for the value of the land, without any improvements or infrastructure.The valuation court will sit from November 5, where land owners can either plead for a higher or lower valuation category per hectare for their farm.A magistrate will preside over the court.The Ministry granted 1 034 commercial land owners exemption from paying land tax last year.Copies of the roll can be viewed at the Ministry’s offices in Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Mariental, Gobabis, Rehoboth, Otjiwarongo, Tsumeb, Oshakati and Rundu until 17h00 on October 3.It is also available for inspection at the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture at Grootfontein, Outjo, Karasburg, Bethanie, Aranos, Omaruru and Swakopmund.At Koës, the roll can be inspected at the courtroom at the Police station.”The valuation roll will be available for public inspection for 30 days until October 3 so that farmers can check if all details are correct,” Ekandjo said yesterday.”The money from the land tax paid will be used to acquire land to resettle previously disadvantaged Namibians as well as to develop and improve commercial agricultural land,” Ekandjo added.About 92 per cent of all commercial land was valued for the drafting of the first valuation roll for 2004.This year 92 per cent of the valuations were verified. “I call on the owners of the remaining farms to verify their land [valuations] at those offices where copies of the valuation roll will be on display,” the Minister said.Those who fail to do so and are found out, would have to pay hefty fines plus the tax they have owed since 2004.Fines can reach up to N$20 000.The new valuations of farms are about 30 per cent higher than in 2004, when the first valuation roll was produced.Mackay Rigava, Land Valuer at the Ministry, said this was because of an increase of farm prices on the market over the past four years.”We took our valuation guidelines from the market developments,” Rigava told The Namibian yesterday.Rigava expects some N$30 million a year to flow into the coffers of the Ministry from the land tax, up from the annual N$27 million over the past three years.Minister Ekandjo then proceeded to check the value of the farm he owns north of Okahandja.As an emerging commercial farmer, he is exempt from the land tax.About 12 547 commercial land units are registered on the roll.These are not only large farms but also small plots belonging to municipalities, churches or companies.The president of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), Raimar von Hase, also attended the launch of the valuation roll.His farm’s value has risen by over 30 per cent.He also noticed that his farm was entered twice on the roll.”I already notified the Ministry last time, but it is still not corrected,” he told The Namibian.The valuation is only for the value of the land, without any improvements or infrastructure.The valuation court will sit from November 5, where land owners can either plead for a higher or lower valuation category per hectare for their farm.A magistrate will preside over the court.The Ministry granted 1 034 commercial land owners exemption from paying land tax last year.Copies of the roll can be viewed at the Ministry’s offices in Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Mariental, Gobabis, Rehoboth, Otjiwarongo, Tsumeb, Oshakati and Rundu until 17h00 on October 3.It is also available for inspection at the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture at Grootfontein, Outjo, Karasburg, Bethanie, Aranos, Omaruru and Swakopmund.At Koës, the roll can be inspected at the courtroom at the Police station.