The Treasury has withdrawn the duty waiver granted for imported milk powder.
The decision has been taken with the aim of adjusting to world market prices, a senior official said. Accordingly, the applicable Customs import duty on the importation of powdered milk is 20% or Rs. 225 for a kilogram, whichever is higher, the Treasury states.
Meanwhile, the Treasury has reduced the special commodity levy on imported eggs from Rs. 50 an egg to Rs. 1 to encourage private sector imports. So far only the state sector has been importing eggs from India.
Egg prices have been dropping steadily after the removal of price controls and the import of eggs from India.
However, local producers said if the government reduced the taxes imposed on food items used in the poultry industry they could further reduce prices.
