“The import duty on kinnow in Bangladesh has been increased from Rs 30 to Rs 62 per kg. During the past six months, Bangladesh has gradually increased the anti-dumping duty and import duty on the import of fruits and vegetables from India.
The suspension of kinnow fruit supply to Bangladesh due to increased anti-dumping and import duties may also affect prices in the domestic market. The Kinnow Fruit Traders’ Association at a meeting held recently urged the Government of India to take up the issue with Bangladesh.
The Association vice president, Raza Abbas Naqvi, said Bangladesh had increased the anti-dumping duty and import duty on fruits and due to this, their traders have stopped placing orders for kinnow. Recently, a trader had dispatched a truck full of kinnows to Bangladesh, but suffered a loss of Rs 4 lakh. Since then, no orders have been received from Bangladesh.
“The import duty on kinnow in Bangladesh has been increased from Rs 30 to Rs 62 per kg. During the past six months, Bangladesh has gradually increased the anti-dumping duty and import duty on the import of fruits and vegetables from India. Indian officials have held several meetings in the past six months with their Bangladesh counterparts, but to no avail. If the government does not resolve the matter soon, a large number of labourers and retail fruit vendors will also face losses.”
Reportedly, the Centre had offered a 50 per cent subsidy on the transportation cost for kinnow special goods train, but this, too, can’t help in resuming exports if Bangladesh does not reduce the import duty.
