The budget 2014-15 has suggested the imposition of 5 percent duty on poultry raw material import, 5 percent duty on import of soybean meal and 5 percent sales tax, which would hit not only general public in terms of high prices of chicken and eggs but also the poultry industry by increasing the cost of production of poultry products in Pakistan.
Raza Khursand, Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association (Northern Zone) expressed his concern over the imposition of 5 percent levy on import of raw material, 5 percent duty on import of soybean meal and 5 percent sales tax as recommended in the current year fiscal budget. He said that proposed taxes on poultry products in fiscal budget 2014-15 are unjustified.
He said that in all developed and under-developed countries including neighbouring India, there is no tax on food items and even in Pakistan the Agriculture sector is exempted from tax. But poultry industry is paying taxes inspite of being a component of the agriculture sector. He requested to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Finance, Ishaq Dar to reconsider the proposal of poultry taxation and duties on poultry raw material import.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2014

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