Increment of tariff on imported rice

The country’s 2010 budget also revealed a number of increament of tariffs on key products and services in the country,
many of which has attracted complaints. An increment of 5 per cent tariff on imported rice, for instance, has been generating uproaring from among major rice importers, according to reports on Gambian newspapers based overseas. And the minister sought to deffend the increment of tariff on imported rice by saying that the move is meant to encourage and promote the production and consumption of local products. “The government of The Gambia realised that the cost of importation is very expensive and there is need to encourage production of local products and promote development of local industries throughout the country,” he said.