Russia extends duty to prevent sugar smuggling

Russia has extended indefinitely a duty on products containing sugar which was due to expire in September and is designed to prevent imports of sugar disguised as other commodities, the government said on Tuesday.
Products containing sugar or mixed with sugar-like syrups, artificial honey or cocoa powders will continue to be liable to an import tariff of 23 euro cents per kg.
The tariff was initially set for nine months from December 2003, following complaints by producers that a previous tariff of two cents per kg set on sugar syrup had little effect as smugglers had switched to using commodities unaffected by it.