KARACHI: Around 500 containers of commodities have been stuck up at ports as importers are waiting issuance of concessionary SRO for customs clearance.
“The government on March 30, 2020 decided on to bring advance tax on import of pulses to zero from two per cent and exemption of two per cent additional customs duty on oil seeds and palm oil imports,” Patron in Chief, Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association (KWGA), Anis Majeed said in a statement on Tuesday.
Majeed said that the government had reduced 2 percent advance income tax on Pulses and 2 percent additional duty on edible oil and seeds for alleviating the adverse impact of Covid-19 and lockdown.
“Our members are waiting for the SRO so that they can get duty relief on pulses imports,” he pointed out
KWGA chief further said he has taken up the matter with Chief Collector of Customs but the customs officer unable to respond positively.
“A number of importers are confused whether to clear their consignments of pulses while few of them are trying to clear their goods as they believe that not releasing pulses may create shortage in the markets at a time when buying of pulses and other essential items have surged sharply on rising demand from ration providers to the poor people,” he added.
He claimed that 400-500 containers of various pulses are awaiting clearance, while importers of oil seeds are also double minded as they are not clearing 32,000 tonnes of canola seed that landed at Karachi Port and another 64,000 tonnes at Port Qasim.
