The federal government has officially announced the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on the importation of certain food commodities.
Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security, revealed this development on social media on Wednesday, outlining the government’s steps to combat the high food prices currently impacting the nation.
As part of these measures, there will be a 150-day duty-free import period for food commodities, including maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas, through land and sea borders. This involves the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on these imports.
The minister stated that these measures will be in effect for the next 180 days. “Imported food commodities will be subjected to a Recommended Retail Price (RRP),” Kyari noted.
He also addressed concerns about the quality and genetic composition of these imports, assuring that all standards will be upheld to ensure the safety and quality of food items for consumption.
“Over the next 14 days, we will work closely with the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) and the Economic Management Team (EMT) to finalize the implementation frameworks,” Kyari said. “We will ensure that all relevant information is publicly accessible to facilitate the participation of stakeholders across the country.”
