Tariffs on onion, potato, pesticide imports reduced

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has reduced tariffs on the import of onions, potatoes, and pesticides in order to stabilise the supply of essential commodities.

Three separate gazette notifications have been issued in this regard on Thursday (September 5), according to NBR sources.

The tax reductions will remain in effect until 30 November next, the sources said.

The NBR has waived the 5 per cent regulatory duty on onion imports.

For potatoes, the NBR has reduced the overall tax burden from 33 per cent to 20 per cent, cutting the 25 per cent customs duty and 3 per cent regulatory duty by a total of 13 per cent.

In the case of pesticides, the customs duty has been significantly reduced from 25 per cent to 5 per cent, further easing the cost of these essential agricultural inputs.

The decision was taken following requests from the stakeholders and relevant ministries, taking into account the impact of flood and supply chain disruptions caused by the recent student-led mass uprising.