ISLAMABAD: Follosing a demand of local industry, the National Tariff Commission (NTC) may withdraw concessionary duty on import of sorbitol as it has been causing injury to the local industry which also demanded increase in the current MFN-based customs duty from 20pc to 30pc.
Sorbitol is mainly used by the pharmaceutical industry as carrier, and bodying agent in products such as cough syrups, toothpaste and skin ointments. The local industry had approached the commission for tariff protection by seeking exclusion of sorbitol from the list of items importable on concessionary rate of customs duty under the South Asia Free Trade Area (Safta).
The industry demanded removal of the exemption of sales tax on local purchase and import of sorbitol to pharmaceutical.
Habib-ADM Limited, Karachi, a manufacturer of sorbitol solution 70pc (sorbitol), has approached the NTC for protection against cheap imports. As per the applicant, the concessionary rate on import of sorbitol under Safta is 5pc, which creates tariff anomaly as its input material are also importable at 5pc.
