Ghee, cooking oil prices to increase from July 1

LAHORE:The prices of ghee and cooking oil will increase up to Rs18 per kilogram/litre from July 1 due to the budgetary taxation measures made by the government through finance bill.

Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA) on Sunday declared the prices of different brands would jump from Rs13 to Rs18 per kilogram/litre depending on their respective retail prices in the market.

PVMA Chairman Abdul Waheed stated that the local currency depreciated by Rs5 against US dollar while taxes to the tune of Rs18 per kg had been imposed in the budget. As a result of rupee depreciation against the US dollar and taxation measures, the prices of ghee and cooking will not reduce in the near future.

Currently, the government has been charging Rs 90 per kilogram/litre tax on ghee and cooking oil which is highest in the region. Further, three per cent additional sales tax has been imposed on sale of ghee and cooking oil to the unregistered buyers, wholesalers and retailers. There would be 0.1 and 0.5 per cent withholding tax while input sales tax adjustment up to 90 per cent has been allowed.

The PVMA has asked the government that input sales tax adjustment up to 100 per cent should be allowed so that uniform tariff was imposed on the whole industry whereas withholding tax on wholesale and retail purchase should be reversed. The additional sales tax should be abolished so that the prices of essential food items remain stable as per the wishes of the government, he added.

According to the speech of finance minister on the floor of the House, taxes on important food items have been abolished while the taxes on ghee and cooking oil industry have been kept intact which is discriminatory decision, the PVMA said.

PHC seals 68 businesses of quacks: The Punjab Healthcare Commission sealed 68 businesses of quacks in 10 districts of the province during the last week. The PHC enforcement teams inspected 543 treatment centres while continuing with their anti-quackery campaign in different cities. Major actions were taken in Rawalpindi and Khanewal where 112 and 115 centres, respectively, were inspected, while closing down 11 and 13 centres, respectively. Moreover, 10 quacks’ businesses in Jhang, nine in Lahore, eight each in Gujrat and Dera Ghazi Khan, five in Jhelum, two in Faisalabad and one each in Layyah and Mianwali were sealed. The businesses included illegal laboratories, family clinics, maternity homes, dental clinics and medical stores.

In Lahore, Ameer Safdar Gynae Centre, Anwar Medical and General Store, Madina Clinic, Alshifa Surgical Hospital, Al-Huda Clinic and Maternity Store were sealed besides illegal labs and lab collection centres. On the other hand, 182 quacks quit their illegal businesses of treating patients, because of the continuous campaigns against them, while on 38 centres, qualified physicians had started providing services. The PHC would continue surveillance of 220 treatment centres.