Importers stop releasing fruits from Ctg port

CHITTAGONG, Aug 05: The fruit importers have launched movement in protest against raising assessment rate on imported fruits.

The movement started on July 27 last by not taking delivery of the cargo from the port which has resulted in the unusual price hike of fruits in the local market.

The traders said due to enhanced assessment rate of imported fruits duty on each container of fruits has increased in the range of Tk 0.15 million (Tk 1.50 lakh) to Tk 0. 45 million (Tk 4.50 lakh).

Prices of almost all fruits imported from abroad have gone up too high due to abnormal hike in duty, leaving the market unstable.

On the other hand, a section of dishonest traders is smuggling different kinds of fruits through border from India and Myanmar evading the government revenue.

Joint Secretary of Chittagong Fruit Traders Association Tauhidul Alam said the NBR had realised 93 per cent duty on imported fruits in the financial year 2014-15. The assessment rate on each kilogramme (kg) of apple was US$ 0.45, on malta $0.37, on pomegranate $0.40 and on orange $0.40.

From July 26 the assessment rate on imported fruits have been hiked to $0.60 on each kg of apple, $0.45 on malta, $0.65 on pomegranate and $0.50 on orange. Following the duty hike the fruit importers have stopped releasing the goods from the port.

Alam said 10,000 traders and workers are maintaining their families through the sale of imported fruits in Chittagong. The enhanced assessment rate has increased duty abnormally and the sale of imported fruit has plummeted unusually.

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