Changes to the Banana levy

​​Starting 1 April 2017, the marketing and the Plant Health Australia (PHA) component of the banana levy will incr​ease. The overall rate increase for the banana levy is shown in the table below:

Up to 31 March 2017

Commencing 1 April 2017

Distribution of levy

Current Levy Rate
(cents/kg)

Proposed Levy Rate (cents/kg)

Proposed Levy Rate ($/kg)

Marketing levy
R&D levy
PHA levy
EPPR levy

1.1497
0.54
0.0103
0.75

1.15
0.54
0.5
0.75

$0.0115
$0.0054
$0.0050
$0.0075

Total levy

2.45

2.94

$0.0294

GST does not apply to Australian Government levies and charges.

Information on Lodging your Returns

Quarterly returns

If you are a banana levy payer/agent who submit quarterly horticulture returns, you will be required to:

  • use the current levy rate for your January to March 2017 quarterly horticulture return – due on or before 28 April 2017
  • use the new levy rate for all future returns starting with your April to June 2017 quarterly horticulture return – due on or before 28 July 2017

Annual returns (financial year)

If you are a banana levy payer/agent who submit annual horticulture returns, you will be required to report two separate rates in your 2016-17 annual horticulture return form:

  • the current levy rate will apply from 1 July 2016 to 31 March 2017
  • the new levy rate will apply from 1 April to 30 June 2017

Information about how to lodge your return is available at: Lodging returns and paying levies. Alternatively, you can call the Levies Helpdesk on the free call number: 1800 020 619 or email: Levies Management.

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