Duty slashed on wheat grain
Re 1 levy on rice, sugar too reduced:
Irangika Range
On the orders of President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a Finance and Planing
Minister, the Customs duty on the import of wheat grain has been totally
removed to benefit consumers for the upcoming festive season.
Accordingly, the wholesale price of a kilo of wheat flour is expected
to be reduced by Rs.10 in the market.
Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Services
Minister Bandula Gunawardene told the Daily News that the Government has
commenced a special program to provide relief to consumers by removing
the taxes on the imports of consumer items since November 10 targeting
the forthcoming festival.
“We wanted to provide maximum relief to the public who are getting
ready to celebrate Christmas and New Year which they will be celebrating
for the first time after the country was liberated from the LTTE by the
heroic forces after 30 years,” he said.
In an attempt to build stocks and keep a lid on prices during the
upcoming festivals, when demand peaks, the Government has removed
customs duty on wheat grains, the Minister said.
Meanwhile, a Customs duty imposed on the import of rice has been
reduced to Rs.1 allowing any trader to import rice to Sri Lanka during
the festive season. Therefore, the move will be prevented any rice
shortage occurring during the period.
He said that price of a kilo of samba rice and basmathi rice will be
reduced to up to Rs.70 with the supply of sufficient rice stocks to the
market.
The Minister said that sugar prices have gone up in the domestic
market for the past few days due to sugar price increase in the world
market. Therefore, we have decided to reduce a custom duty to Re.1 on
the sugar import allowing traders to import sufficient stocks to the
country.
With the removal of custom duties on the import prices of wheat
flour, rice and sugar, are expected to come down in the market,” the
Minister added. |