Prices of 637 essential food items and products of 187 Harmonised System (HS) codes are to be increased in accordance with the revision of cess ad valorem tax on a range of food commodity and several other imports.
The Finance Ministry has directed the Sri Lanka Customs to issue a gazette extraordinary indicating the revisions made on the cess levy with effect from Tuesday November 15 in accordance with the Budget 2023 proposal.
Accordingly the price of imported essential commodities including potatoes, Dhal, Pharm oil, Butter, Cheese and other essential items such as books, ball point pens, footwear, wrapping papers and tyres etc will be increased.
The cess tax on potatoes will be increased by Rs.220 per kg, Gram Rs. 300 per kg, Butter Rs.550 per kg, and cheese Rs. 600 per kg.
In addition the cess levy of Corn will be raised by Rs.300, Apple by Rs.380 per kg, Pharm oil by Rs.60 per kg and Copra by Rs.370 per kg.
The Customs Department has been directed to increase the cess tax of imported rubber and and tires by Rs.100-400, footwear by over Rs. 90, ball point pens by 25 per cent, excise books by Rs. 250 per kg, wrapping paper by Rs.200 per kg and lubrication oil by Rs.300.
However media spokesman of the Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders Association Nihal Seneviratne said that this levy is not applicable for 24 essential commodities such as rice and big onions.
Customs media spokesman Sudatta Silva noted that the new cess tax is being charged from importers at the point of clearance of goods with effect from yesterday. (Bandula)
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