Import Duty On Masur Dal Brought Down to Zero

Import duty on Masur Dal has been brought to zero while the Agriculture Infrastructure Development Cess on it has been cut down to 10 per cent, which is half of the original cess. The decision was announced by the Government through a notification which was laid in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The move will help boost supplies and also control price rise.

While laying the notification in the upper house, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that basic customs duty on Masur Dal (originated in or exported from countries except the United States of America) has been reduced from 10 per cent to nil.

Apart from this, the basic customs duty on Masur Dal (originating in or exported from the United States of America) has been brought down from 30 per cent to 20 per cent.

Ms Sitharaman also informed the Rajya Sabha that the Agriculture Infrastructure Development Cess on Masur Dal has been cut down from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.

The current retail price of Masur Dal has gone up by 30 per cent to reach Rs 100 per kg from Rs 70 per kg, which was the price prevailing on April 1, 2021.

The Centre had started charging the Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess on selected items like petrol, diesel and a few agricultural produces, from the current fiscal.