To keep supply steady and bring relief to ordinary consumers, the government has granted major tariff relief on imports of green chili and tomatoes.
Import duty on the two items has been cut from 25 percent to 10 percent. At the same time, the 5 percent regulatory duty imposed on the imports has been withdrawn entirely.
A special government gazette notification issued Monday ordered the decision take effect immediately.
The notification was issued by Ahsan Habib, acting secretary of the Internal Resources Division and acting chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), under presidential order.
Customs officials said the two-pronged duty cut will significantly lower import costs, which should be highly effective in keeping the two items’ retail prices in check in the local market.
The cabinet approved the proposal to grant tariff exemptions on green chili and tomato imports at its 17th meeting, held at the secretariat on August 17. A press release from the cabinet division said green chili and tomatoes are among the country’s most widely used everyday agricultural products, but seasonal production patterns, natural disasters, adverse weather, supply disruptions and production shortfalls sometimes cause abnormal price spikes for these items, creating additional financial pressure on the general public.
The government periodically takes necessary policy measures to ensure food security, keep prices of essential goods stable and protect ordinary consumers’ purchasing power. In that context, the duty exemption on green chili and tomato imports has been granted for a set period in the public interest, to ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential goods in the market and keep prices at a tolerable level.
According to the tariff table attached to the notification, for customs purposes, green chili has been listed under heading 07.09 with HS code 0709.60.19, and tomatoes under heading 07.02 with HS code 0702.00.19.