Litia Cava 
Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad has clarified that the import excise duty on various meat products has been reduced to zero percent, except for whole chicken.
He says the fiscal duty on chicken portions, wings, drumsticks, legs, feet, thighs, breast, and offal, as well as sheep and lamb meat, has been slashed from 10 percent to zero percent and from five percent to zero percent, respectively.
Professor Prasad made the comments in response to concerns raised about the increase in food prices, particularly chicken, in supermarkets.
“The 22 items are still zero-rated, including prescribed medicines, and then we reduce duty on some of the meat products, including, you know, chicken portions and wings; these are not whole chickens, so the duty has been reduced. And we believe that the prices of those not whole chickens, the whole chicken duty on imported chicken was not reduced; chicken portions, wings, etc, including, you know, lamb and sheep and beef meat, the duty has been reduced, so we expect prices to come down.”
To monitor the situation, Professor Prasad says the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission has published a list of 230 food items with reduced prices.
Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad.
He expressed optimism that some food items might experience further price drops due to reduced freight costs.
The Minister adds the FCCC and the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service are actively scrutinizing traders and retailers to ensure fair pricing and transparency in the market.
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