Rice importers criticize govt’s selective duty exemptions on emergency imports

Rice importers have expressed concerns over what they describe as unfair duty exemptions granted by the government on emergency rice imports.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture recently received parliamentary approval to import rice under a special arrangement that exempts these imports from taxes and duties.

The move is aimed at preventing potential food shortages caused by prolonged dry spells affecting parts of the country.

However, several importers argue that the tax relief is being unfairly allocated to a select few, leaving many other market participants at a disadvantage.

According to the importers, this selective exemption undermines fair competition within the rice import sector, potentially leading to higher prices for consumers as only a few importers can offer competitive pricing with tax breaks.

In an interview, the Chairman of the Rice Importers Association, John Awuni, warned that the uneven playing field could negatively impact the availability and affordability of rice for households nationwide.

“Players in the industry are very worried about this selective approach of granting custom duties and custom taxes free to bring in this rice, he lamented

“This measure leads to discrimination and breeds corruption in the system. If there’s a desire to ensure food security and sustainability in the country, it is important for them to remove duty across the board to grant equal opportunity to every player in the industry,” he stressed.