The Russian government is considering the possibility of introducing import duties on equipment for the food industry.
At present, the zero rate of import customs duty is applied to the import of equipment for the food industry. The Ministry of Industry and Trade proposes to increase the rate depending on the type of equipment by 3-10%. For these purposes, the Ministry of Industry and Trade asks the Ministry of Agriculture to assess the consequences of this step. The Ministry of Agriculture has addressed to branch unions and associations.
Representatives of the industry categorically object to such an innovation. In their opinion, domestic manufacturers will not be able to offer analogues to imported equipment, which will continue to be imported from abroad, but more expensive. As a result, the state will achieve only a sharp rise in prices for food products, instead of supporting domestic manufacturers.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, due to the lack of trade barriers for foreign manufacturers, the share of imported equipment in the Russian food industry has averaged 70% over the past five years. At the same time, there are segments of the market in which Russian equipment is not used at all. According to the strategy until 2030, the share of domestic machinery in the food industry should reach 62%.
Source: agrorus-news.ru.
