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The government has approved a proposal to reduce duties and taxes on imports of green chillies and tomatoes to keep supplies steady and prices affordable for consumers.
The proposal was approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Monday.
Under the decision, the existing combined tax burden of 61% on imports of green chillies and tomatoes will be reduced to 20.5% for the first month after the relevant notification is issued.
The rate will then rise to 31% in the following month.
The government said the measure was taken to ensure food security, maintain uninterrupted supplies of essential agricultural products and keep market prices at a tolerable level.
Green chillies and tomatoes are widely consumed essential commodities.
Their prices often rise sharply due to seasonal production, natural disasters, adverse weather, supply disruptions and production shortages, placing additional financial pressure on consumers.
The temporary tax relief is therefore expected to encourage imports and help stabilise the domestic market by improving the supply of these two essential vegetables.