From 1 January 2021, the white spot disease repayment (WSDR) component of the farmed prawns levy, currently set at 3.01 cents per kilogram, will be deactivated and set to nil for 12 months following requests for levy relief from the Australian Prawn Farmers Association.
Changes to the levy and charge rates are shown in the table below:
| Levy/charge component | Rate up to 31 December 2020 |
Rate commencing 1 January 2021 |
Rate commencing 1 January 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research & development | 3.64 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
3.64 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
3.64 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
| WSDR | 3.01 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
NIL | 3.01 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
| TOTAL | 6.65 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
3.64 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
6.65 cents per kilogram of whole farmed prawns |
Note: GST does not apply to Australian Government levies and charges.
Information on lodging your returns
Quarterly returns
A farmed prawns levy agent who submit quarterly returns should submit these returns as usual, use the new levy rate for all future returns starting with your January to March 2021 quarterly return – due on or before 28 April 2021.
Annual returns (financial year)
You may be eligible to submit an annual return if you have reasonable grounds to believe that the total quantity of farmed prawns which you are likely to deal in, in a financial year, amounts to less than 10,000 kilograms. You will be required to report two (2) separate rates in your 2020-21 and 2021-22 annual return.
You can access information about the farmed prawns levy and charge on the department's website at: agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/levies/rates/farmed-prawns
Who can I contact if I have questions about this notice?
If you have any questions about this notice, your levies account or how to lodge your return, please contact the Levies Helpdesk by calling 1800 020 619 or by sending an email to: levies.management@awe.gov.au