Govt Moves to Cut Import Duties on Essential Food Items Ahead of Ramadan

The government today said import duties on imported date, oranges, and apple would be reduced temporarily coinciding with the holy Ramadan.

According to an official statement the cabinet in its 27th meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair decided to reduce duty on imported dates to 5 percent from 25 percent while the rate would remain in effect until March 10, 2027.

It said the import tax on oranges (malta) under HS Code 08051010 and apples under HS Code 08081010 was set at 61 percent, down from existing 121.78 percent while the makeshift arrangement would remain effective from January 24 to February 23.

The statement said the cabinet gave in-principle and final approval to a revenue board (NBR) proposal to revert from the quarterly setup introduced in the 2026-27 budget asking standard businesses to submit VAT returns within 15 days of the end of each monthly tax period.

The revised provision is expected to be incorporated in the proposed “Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Act, 2026” amending an October 2026 ordinance introducing quarterly VAT filing with monthly submissions.

It recalled that the budget for 2026-27 fiscal had relaxed the requirement of submitting VAT returns every month, allowing submission within 15 days of the end of every three months in line with the ordinance.

The statement said the change created obstacles for revenue collection at the field level, making it necessary to amend Section 64 of the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012.

The amendment is expected to be approved at the current parliament session, subject to Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division vetting.