The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has been authorized to suspend duty on a number of basic grocery items products for 6 months.
As the price of basic commodities continues to rise, the Government saw it fit to suspend duty on a number of basic grocery items with effect from 17 May 2022.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, George Guvamatanga has designated 15 products to be included under the new measures.
Taking to Twitter, Nick Mangwana shared a letter addressed to Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Acting Commissioner-General, R Chinamasa, dated 16 May 2022.
Here Is The List Of Basic Grocery Items To Be Imported Duty-free;
- Rice;
- Flour,
- Cooking Oil
- Margarine;
- Salt;
- Sugar;
- Maize meal;
- Milk Powder;
- Infants Milk Formula;
- Tea, whether or not flavoured;
- Petroleum Jelly;
- Toothpaste;
- Bath Soap;
- Laundry Bar; and
- Washing Powder.
iHarare is publishing the statement in its entirety;
In the letter, ZIMRA has been requested to urgently draft the necessary legal instrument and implement the duty suspension beginning midnight, that is, 17 May 2022, which should coincide with the gazetting of the relevant legislation.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is expected to complement the measure through the inclusion of the above goods on the Open General Import Licence.
The suspension of duty on the selected products comes after the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube announced that import tariffs will be reduced on selected products.
Minister Ncube said that in the wake of the recent increases in prices of locally manufactured products, the suspension would aid members of the general public to have access to affordable basic grocery goods.
This comes after the sugar processor Tongaat Hulett has also hiked the price of sugar by more than 60 percent.
Tongaat Hulett’s new sugar prices which are now pegged in US dollars became effective from the 14th of May 2022.-iharare
