The Cabinet has made a major decision regarding increasing gravel and sand royalties.

Cabinet says the current rates were set in 1997 and are only for sand and gravel at $2.00 per cubic meter and sand sold from drainage and irrigation dump sites at $4.00 per cubic meter.

The new rate is now set at $10.40 per cubic meter.

The new rates for clay and soil are now set at $6.50 per cubic meter, rock has been set at $5.21 per cubic meter, topsoil is $38.00 per cubic meter, river spalls are at $7.80 per cubic meter, and sand sold from drainage and irrigation dumpsites is set at $8.00.