KARACHI: Director General Customs Valuation Syed Tanveer Ahmed has revised the customs values of sauces and accordingly amended the Valuation Ruling No.952/2016.

M/s Al-Nafay Traders and other stated that the customs values notified vide Valuation Ruling No.952/20I6 in respect of sauces/salad dressing/mayonnaise/mustard and tomato ketchup are at very higher side from all origins. [the_ad id=”32940″]They contended the impugned ruling that uniform values of goods for different varieties/brands imported from different sources are highly unjustified. They stated that during the determination of customs values, all stakeholders strongly contended and requested that the Valuation Ruling No.769/2015 may be reviewed in the light of prevailing international market prices. They stated that the trend needs to be revised downward otherwise these products will find their way into market through illegal routes or by way of mis-declaration.

Pakistan Fruit Processor Associates (PFPA) stated that there are 11 companies manufacturing sauces. The importers contended that the manufacturers are manufacturing tomato ketchup and Chili sauce, 90 percent is tomato ketchup. Though the prices have been fixed on higher side,. Shoaib Warraich, CEO of National Foods, stated that the tomatoes paste is available at $0.87/kg in 220 kg drum packing. They have opened L/C on the said price. So after including packaging, printing and over manufacturing charges, one bottle’s cost cannot be less than $1.00/kg. He further gave comparison of market selling price between ‘Heinz’ and `Shezan’. The manufactures were basically concerned with the tomato and chili ketchup and wanted that values of these products may not be reduced. They also contended that though other sauces are not being manufactured in Pakistan but their prices should be increased.

After detailed deliberation of the case, Director General fixed the values of Peri Peri brand sauce at $3.05/kg and values of Remia, Razmin and Delico brand sauces are fixed at $1.8/kg.