Imported wheat to be exempted from anti-hoarding act

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of National Food Security and Research has said that the imported wheat would be exempted from the Anti-Hoarding Act imposed by the provincial governments on producing verified import record by the importers.

Besides, it would also notified the waiver of withholding tax to facilitate the importers, said Federal Secretary of Ministry of National Food Security and Research Omer Hamid Khan, while chairing a meeting on wheat import Monday.

He said the private wheat importers would be given priority in order to keep local demand and supply smooth and providing it on affordable prices.

He was of the view that legitimate concerns of importers would be solved at the earliest.

He mentioned that the ministry was working under the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan for ensuring uninterrupted supply of the commodity across the country.

The ministry would help wheat importers at all levels, so that ultimately public could get wheat at affordable price, he remarked.

The ministry was facilitating wheat importers by helping them in priority berthing, storage, multiple ports and clearances on the landing of shipment.

He said taxes and duties had already been abolished by the federal government including, Regulatory Duty 60 percent, Custom Duty 11 percent, Sales Tax 17 percent and Withholding Tax 06 percent.

The meeting was attended by wheat importers, representatives from Ministry for National Food Security and Research, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, FBR and Finance Division.