EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1986Â No. 88
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industry
DRIED VINE FRUITS EQUALIZATION LEVY ACT 1978
DRIED VINE FRUITS EQUALIZATION LEVY
REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
The dried vine fruits equalization scheme provides for the equalizing of returns to producers from domestic and export markets. The Dried Vine Fruits Equalization Levy Act 1978 (the Act) imposes a levy upon certain dried vine fruits for the purposes of the equalization scheme. The levy applies only to fruit destined for human consumption on the domestic market and the proceeds are later disbursed to producers in the form of an equalization payment over the total amount of fruit of that kind produced in the season. New rates of levy may be fixed for each season which commences on 1 January.
In June 1985 the Act was amended to provide for a progressive reduction, commencing in 1986, in the maximum level of assistance that can be accorded through equalization payments such that by 1990 the equalized returns at the ex-packer level will be no more than 15 percent above average export returns.
When levy is set for a specified kind of dried vine fruit, the rate is determined to ensure that the equalized returns per tonne are unlikely to exceed the average export return per
tonne for that kind of dried vine fruit by more than the percentage prescribed by the Act for that season. The maximum percentages for the 1986 season are 32.4% for sultanas and 40.4% for currants.
The Australian Dried Fruits Corporation has estimated for 1986 season sultanas and currants the average export return, the volume of production and the proportions likely to be exported or used for human consumption in Australia, and on the basis of these, has recommended rates of equalization levy to apply to sultanas and currants for the 1986 season.
The Minister for Primary Industry has accepted the Corporation’s estimates and recommendations as to the appropriate rates of levy and these Statutory Rules accordingly set the rate of levy for sultanas produced during the 1986 season at $536 per tonne and the rate of levy for currants produced during the 1986 season at $546 per tonne. The rate of levy for sultanas is estimated to provide an equalized return per tonne 15.05% above the expected average export return and in the case of currants the rate of levy is estimated to provide an equalized return 40.35% above the expected average export return, both within the ceilings prescribed.
The Corporation is to make a recommendation to the Minister for Primary Industry in respect of raisins at a later date.