Kazakhstan suggested that the customs duties on vegetable fats and oils be eliminated throughout the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union. Currently, the draft of the relevant document is considered by the EAEU.
In particular, the confectionery industry uses cocoa butter substitutes and fats. To date, the import duty on such products is 12 percent. Its zeroing will lead to a reduction in the cost price of chocolate sweets and increased competition in the confectionery market of the EAEU countries.
The initiative of Kazakhstan, as reported in the Oil and Fat Union of Russia, will create preferences for foreign suppliers and problems for Russian producers. The fact is that over the past five years, thanks to the increase in domestic production, imports of fats and vegetable oils in the Russian Federation have decreased by 50% - to 45 thousand tons.
Rusprodsoyuz Association notes the need for the development of the EAEU countries own production of raw materials and strengthening cooperation with each other as an alternative to setting zero rates. For example, Russia could export its oil and fat products, including the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation also does not see the need for duty-free imports of oils.
Source: agroinfo.com.
