DUSHANBE (Avesta news agency) — More than 16% of the total volume of goods exported and imported by Tajikistan in the first half of this year were completely exempted from customs duties. According to the customs service, in terms of money equivalent this is about $191.9 mln.

Partly from the payment of customs, during the reporting period, 47% of exports of goods were exported for a total of $542.4 mln. Thus, the percentage of goods exempted from customs duties totally or partially amounted to 63%.

The import of goods into the country is exempted from customs duties, the list of which is approved by the government. This list includes humanitarian goods, transferred to the state bodies of the Republic of Tajikistan and charitable organizations for the liquidation of the consequences of natural disasters and emergencies, goods intended for the implementation of government projects carried out within the framework of grant agreements.

Also, import of equipment for the construction of especially important facilities, medicines, medical and pharmaceutical equipment, medical instruments, etc., has also been exempt from customs duties.

The lack of customs payments in Tajikistan in the first half of 2017 amounted to 197 mln somoni ($22.3 mln), or 9.1%. From the 2.1 bln somoni (over $245.3 mln) expected customs duties in the first half of this year, over 1.9 bln somoni (over $222.9 mln) were collected.

According to A. Goib, the head of the Tajik Customs Service, the reason for the loss of earnings is a number of factors, including a reduction in the volume of foreign trade turnover, such as imports of goods and vehicles, a fall in prices for imports of petroleum products.