Gaston Browne has pushed back against a proposal by opposition leader Jamale Pringle to make farming inputs tax-free, stating that such concessions are already in place.

In a social media post on Sunday, Browne said a wide range of agricultural items — including fertilizer, drip irrigation systems, seeds, farming equipment, tractors, and distribution vehicles — are “already free of all duties and taxes.”

“All farming inputs… are already free of all duties and taxes,” Browne wrote, listing additional items such as chillers, fencing, freezers and packaging materials among those benefiting from the exemptions, before adding: “UPP too damn lie.”

The response follows remarks by Pringle at the United Progressive Party’s campaign launch, where he pledged that a UPP administration would provide farmers with full support by ensuring agricultural inputs and equipment are tax-free.

“We are giving our farmers full support… totally tax-free in Antigua and Barbuda,” Pringle said, adding, “We will never tax the tools of the people who grow our food.”

Pringle framed the proposal as part of a broader effort to reduce the cost of living and strengthen domestic food production, arguing that farmers should have easier access to essential tools and supplies.

The exchange underscores a direct dispute between the two parties over existing tax policy, with Browne maintaining that the relief outlined by the opposition is already being provided, while Pringle has presented it as a key campaign commitment.

The issue of affordability, food security and support for local farmers is expected to feature prominently in the campaign ahead of the April 30 general election.