Imported fresh fruit now carries 121.78 percent in total duties and taxes. The commission recommends exempting six fruits from supplementary and regulatory duty, saying higher imports could raise revenue.
FruitsImported malta sells for Tk 400-420 a kilo and green apples for Tk 400-450 in Mirpur, against Tk 120 for local malta; sellers blame size, quality and spoilage, and the commerce minister says work is under way to cut a 121 per cent effective duty.
FruitsFresh watermelon at 26 cents and bananas at 31 cents were the cheapest servings of fruit in US shops in 2023, while fresh blackberries, fresh raspberries and canned cherries were the most expensive.
FruitsA Tariff Commission report finds malta selling at Tk 520-550 a kilo in Dhaka against a top price of Tk 160 in India and Tk 130 in Pakistan, blaming 96-122 percent duties, inflated customs valuation and a market held by a few importers.
GalleryWith dengue patients' families buying malta, imported malta sells for Tk 480 to Tk 500 and local malta for Tk 120 to Tk 130 in Chattogram's retail markets; a photo story from the fruit shops of Kadamtali, Station Road and New Market.
Pacific Northwest sweet cherry growers say this year's returns cleared production costs by only a few cents a pound, not enough to repay the debt carried over from last season's oversupply and labour disruption.
