Maldives Customs Service waived up to MVR 9.6 million in duty fees levied on medical equipment, related to the COVID-19 response, imported to Maldives so far this year.
Speaking at a press conference held Wednesday afternoon, Chief Customs Officer Ali Zubair disclosed that the duties were waived from face masks (MVR 3.4 million), disinfectants (MVR 1.2 million), and various other protective equipment (MVR 4.9 million).
Elaborating on the importation of these goods, Deputy Commissioner of Customs Abdulla Shareef revealed that 4.7 million face masks have been imported into the country so far this year, along with 248 metric tonnes of disinfectant and 59 tonnes of hand soap.
Chief Officer Zubair noted that Customs did not impose processing fees on these coronavirus-response related equipment, in addition to duty fees. He stated that zero-rate duties are already imposed on several items used in the virus response, such as all medicines and medical equipment, as well as textile garments including protective suits.
Zubair further revealed that Customs is waiving duties for certain other goods under the Customs Act. MVR 1.9 billion was waived in duty fees last year, including materials imported for infrastructural development and resort projects.
Regarding Customs' declarations and clearance, Deputy Commissioner Shareef disclosed that more than 60,000 declarations were completed across all of its ports in Maldives by the end of April, with a daily average of 200 declarations. Meanwhile, 361 freighters and 400 vessels received inward and outward clearances respectively, by May 2.
Shareef assured that Customs is working to expedite the clearance of imported goods, completing clearance for nearly all entities that register for the service on a daily basis. In particular, he highlighted that Customs is clearing aid shipments sent by international bodies to support Maldives' COVID-19 response as quickly as possible.
Deputy Commissioner Shareef noted that imports and exports decreased this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Maldives imported MVR 12 billion worth of goods by the end of April, generating an import duty revenue of MVR 1 million.
However, he stated that despite the decline, the amount of common food products imported was maintained from last year, with certain products recording an increase.
"We noted a 45 percent increase in the importation of staple foods, and a six percent increase for petrol and diesel. There was also a five percent rise in egg imports", he said.
According to Shareef, the highest decline was in the importation of liquor, pork products and aviation equipment due to the deadlock of Maldives' tourism industry over local and global travel restrictions implemented amid the pandemic.
Exports also plunged this year, with Maldives recording a 38 percent drop between January and the end of April this year.
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