Maravi

PACRA records steady increase in number of agricultural companies
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Fri 26 July 2013, 14:00 CAT

THE Patents and Companies Registration Agency has recorded a steady increase in the number of local companies being registered in the agriculture sector. For the first six months of this year, PACRA registered more than 15,000 businesses, of which 5,170 were local companies, 10,006 business names and 17 foreign companies.

PACRA stated that the bulk of the registrations were in the general trading, construction, service provision and manufacturing sectors while tourism also showed a steady increase in the number of people formalising their businesses.

"The agency has also noted with interest the increase in the number of local companies being registered in the agriculture sector," according to the statement by PACRA public relations officer, Vaida Bunda.

"This increase could be attributed to the government's effort to prioritise and diversify the agriculture sector as well as incentives provided to micro, small and medium scale farmers across the country. PACRA will continue decentralising its services in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business in the country by taking its services closer to the people."

Meanwhile, PACRA has introduced email reminders for filing of annual returns and notifications on any changes made on all business records on the electronic database. The reminders for annual returns filing will be sent out twice to each client, the first one being 30 days before the end of financial year and the other, a day before the due date.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, PACRA, PATENTS, VAIDA BUNDA

posted by MrK @ 5:00 PM