There has been a lot of talk about the unpopular ground rent tax recently. The farming industry believes they cannot pay such a tax. Here are the figures that show what a selection of the “salmon barons” have contributed to the community over the tax bill. Salmar on top Father Gustav and son Gustav Magnar Witzøe taxed a total of more than NOK 558 million. Most of it is the country’s richest man, and Salmar heir Gustav Magnar, who is responsible. See list further down in the case. Photo: Gitte Paulsbo / NTB The world’s largest farming company, Mowi, is based in Norway and 24 other countries. The largest shareholder in the company is called John Fredriksen. He does not pay taxes to Norway, but to Cyprus. That is why he is not on these lists. Happy to live in Norway Kjell Lorentsen is the man behind the farming company Gigante Havbruk, which is based in Nordland. He himself contributed almost one and a half million in taxes last year. It is his children who own the majority of the shares in the company, and they have taxed just under NOK 14.5 million. He calls our tax system a “Scandinavian model”, where around half goes to tax when you earn a lot. – At the same time, you are also left with half, so it is still tempting to run a shop. If that store does well and you can be left with several millions, even if you split fifty-fifty. He says he is very happy that he lives in Norway, with the security it entails. – If you break your foot, you get an offer at the hospital, and it is not the visa card that determines where in the queue you end up. I think the majority of the Norwegian population supports that, he says. Lorentsen is concerned about how the ground rent tax will turn out. – I am afraid that will help to destroy the coastal industry with a taxation that makes it uninteresting to invest in the coast. The group leader is clear that the tax proposal is a very measurable political move. – They may think that when this is clarified, you will start investing again, but it is not certain that this will be the case, he says. – But we will actually get an answer to that when this is introduced. It becomes very visible. Can pay more – We have been clear that we must and can pay even more tax to the community, but the government must ensure our competitiveness and a well-functioning tax model. That’s what Vibecke Bondø writes for news. She is chairman of the aquaculture group NTS and herself paid around 6.5 million in tax last year. She says it is important for them as a business, and for her personally and to contribute to the community. But she is also concerned about the basic income tax. Vibecke Bondø in NTS. Photo: Terje Solberg – We must ensure framework conditions for the aquaculture industry that make it possible to retain and create new jobs and further develop the companies along the coast, writes Bondø. Here is an overview of some of the “salmon barons” in the country. According to Kapital, most of the people on this list have assets worth over one billion kroner, something that does not necessarily appear in the tax lists. The whole community notices the money On Frøya, the world’s second largest farming company has its head office. Salmar was started by seed investors who still control the company. The farming company Måsøval also has a presence in the small municipality at the far end of the Trøndelag coast. In addition, a number of smaller companies have been set up that make a living from and for the aquaculture industry. The tax income from these companies makes Frøya a rich municipality. – They mean that we can maintain good services for our citizens in the form of schools, health and welfare schemes, says Mayor Kristin Strømskag (Sp). Norway’s richest man, the Salmar heir Gustav Magnar Witzøe, pays taxes to Frøya. With a fortune of NOK 19.8 billion and an annual salary of NOK 1.2 billion in 2021, the tax he contributes is considerable. But he is not the only salmon billionaire on the island. In addition, the municipality received 116 million from the Aquaculture Fund earlier in December. – We have some significant taxpayers, but the most important thing for a municipality is that jobs are created and that people become regular taxpayers. In Kommune-Norge, it is the people who come with the money in the form of transfers from the State and that there are children in the kindergartens and the school, says Strømskag. The fact that a number of people with money live in the municipality is also noticeable elsewhere than in the municipal coffers. – The whole of society does that – whether it’s cultural life or volunteering. People in the aquaculture industry are generous in sponsoring and building the local communities around them. Sold more salmon Many industries were affected by the coronavirus in 2021. But for the farming industry, last year was a record year. The sale of farmed fish increased by 10.2 per cent from 2020 to 2021, according to figures from the Directorate of Fisheries. The salmon accounted for by far the most of this. Last year, Norway sold salmon for NOK 81.4 billion. An increase of 11.3 billion from the previous year.
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This is how the salmon barons taxed in 2021 – news Trøndelag
