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Government’s Decision to Hike Tax Threatens Domestic Food Industries

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Government’s Decision to Hike Tax Threatens Domestic Food Industries
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June 5: The government’s decision to increase customs duty on import of raw materials for producing soybean nuggets in addition to imposing Value Added Tax has resulted in the closure of industries producing such products within the country.

Birgunj-based Bidhya Food Products has stopped production following the irrational decision of the government. The company stopped operation a day after the government unveiled the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2019/20, says proprietor of the company Ganesh Prasad Lath.

Besides imposing VAT, the government has also decided to charge agriculture reform fee on soybean skin imported from India.

“Now, we cannot compete with readymade soybean nuggets coming from India,” says Lath, adding, “We were left with no option than to close the industry as it is impossible to compete with Indian products now.”

Earlier, the soybean nuggets produced within the country were exempt from VAT. Meanwhile, the government has increased the customs duty on import of soybean skin under the head of agriculture reform fee from 5 percent to 8 percent.

The government has added a tax burden of 16 percent all of a sudden, complained Subodh Gupta, operator of Mohan Food Products.

He criticized the government saying that the people’s elected government promised to protect the domestic industries but instead imposed VAT on a food product which is consumed by the poor. According to Gupta, who is also the president of  Nepal Rice, Oil and Lentil Association, said that the imposition of VAT will ultimately affect the consumers. Therefore, he urged the government not to impose VAT of essential food products that are consumed by the poor.

Businessman Lath says that the annual transaction of soybean nuggets within the country is worth Rs 1 billion. According to the Birgunj Customs Office, Nepal has not imported soybean nuggets so far. However, local businessmen and entrepreneurs argue that the imposition of VAT and agriculture reform fee will result in import of soybean nuggets from India. Altogether 40 industries which had been producing soybean nuggets within the country are in risk of collapse.

 

 

 

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