The Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority stresses that the decision to increase the tariff band on imported items from 27% to 32% is to safeguard the local manufacturing industry and the thousands of jobs dependant on the sector.
As various people continue to criticize the move, Director Customs Jalal Ud Dean said its aim is to encourage people to buy Fiji made products.
Dean stresses that these imported items are not under price control.
The items which will come under the 37% tariff band from January 1st, 2009 include over 1000 items.
Some of the items are imported Chicken, imported beef, pork shrimps, prawns, turkey, hams and other processed meats, imported butter, eggs, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, corned meat of sheep or lamb, cane sugar, chewing gum, chocolate confectionary in blocks, slabs or bars, and imported biscuits, citrus fruits, peanut butter, prepared baking powders, soy sauce, tomato sauce, ice cream and other edible ice, imported mineral water, imported alcohol and cigarettes, deodorant blocks for toilet use and soaps, candles and fireworks, apparel made from leather, wooden windows and doors, tableware and kitchen ware, envelopes, toilet paper, table cloths, handkerchiefs, sanitary towels and tampons, imported undergarments, other garments for men, boys, women and girls, gloves and mittens, electric blankets, blankets and travelling rugs, toilet and kitchen linen, steel toed footwear and other imported footwear, including sports footwear and equipment, nails, video tapes and compact discs, motor vehicles and heavy machinery and metal and wooden furnitures.
These items, except for imported chicken and chicken portions do not come under price control and the wholesalers and retailers will be at liberty to put mark up prices on these items to recover the costs of import and distribution of the goods.
We will be speaking to the Prices and Incomes Board on the matter later today.
Duty Increase to Protect Local Manufacture
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