NBR mulls import duty cuts on fresh fruits ahead of Ramadan

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is considering reducing supplementary and regulatory duties on imported fresh fruits to stabilise the market and improve affordability ahead of Ramadan.
According to NBR officials, based on recommendations from the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, import duties on apples, maltas (oranges), pears and grapes may be cut by 20% to 30%. However, the commission has proposed an overall duty reduction of around 50%.
Popular fruits such as apples, maltas, grapes and pears have moved beyond the reach of ordinary consumers due to high import duties and rising dollar prices.
At present, imported fresh fruits are subject to a 30% supplementary duty and a 20% regulatory duty, resulting in an abnormally high overall tax burden.
Earlier, the tariff commission submitted a detailed report to the NBR chairman, recommending a reduction in duties on fresh fruit imports. The report noted that while the current high duty and tax structure may boost revenue in the short term, it undermines consumer interests in the long run, encourages illegal imports and makes revenue collection riskier and less sustainable.
The commission stressed that an urgent review of the existing tariff policy is needed in light of prevailing laws, policies and market realities.
A senior NBR official told the Daily Sun on Saturday that rising dollar rates and high import duties have caused fresh fruit imports to decline sharply over the past four fiscal years. Comparing 2021-22 with 2024-25, imports fell by between 25% and 95% despite strong market demand.
Considering the overall situation, the official said the NBR has taken steps to move forward with a reduction in duties on imported fresh fruits.