The National Tariff Commission (NTC) will hold a public hearing for reduction of customs tariff on imported raw materials for soap manufacturers on March 24. The Pakistan Soap Manufacturers Association has approached the NTC to reduce the custom duty on imported raw materials namely tallow, palm stearin, palm acid oil, PFAD, caustic soda, palm kernel acid oil, RBD palm kernel, palm kernel fatty distillate, coconut oil, RBD coconut oil, from the current level to five percent.
A public hearing is scheduled on Thursday 24 at the NTC premises Islamabad. All interested parties may attend the hearing and bring their comments and suggestions in writing.
THE SOAP MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION'S REQUEST IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING GROUNDS:
(i) The finished soaps are attracting lower rate of customs duty that is 25 per cent against the raw materials which are subject to customs duty rate ranging between 10 to 50 per cent.
(ii) In order to manufacture a better quality and low cost soap the same concession in the form of five per cent customs duty rate regarding Palm Stearin be given to both the laundry and toilet soap industry as provided to Oleo Chemical industry vide same SRO.
(iii)The excise duty be withdrawn from soaps.