Levy on potato imports to continue till local harvest reaches market

September 5, 2010 01:59 pm

The decision to discontinue the Rs. 30 per kilogram levy on imports of potatoes from September 9 has been differed and the levy will continue, says the Ministry of Finance and Planning.

The levy was imposed to protect the local potato farmers when their harvests were due, Ministry sources said. The tax will continue till the local produce fully reaches the market and withdrawing it will be considered later, the Ministry said.

Currently potato harvests from Nuwara Eliya, Welimada and Haliela were reaching the markets and large scale imports would hamper the prices obtained by local farmers, a Finance Ministry official said.

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