March 23, 2006	Thursday	Safar 22, 1427

ISLAMABAD, March 22: The Central Board of Revenue raised 78 per cent of the total customs collection from 15 major commodities during the first half (July-Dec) of the current fiscal year, over the same period last year. Official figures available with Dawn indicated that the CBR collected Rs55.719 billion customs duty on import of 15 major commodities during the period under review as against Rs46.238 billion in the corresponding period last year, indicating an increase of 20.8 per cent.

The customs duty collected from all other commodities (except 15) during the period under review stood at only Rs15.753 billion as compared to Rs12.682 billion, showing an increase of 24.2 per cent.

Product-wise data showed that customs duty collection from vehicles registered a growth of 40.1 per cent to Rs15.678 billion during the July-Dec 2005 as against Rs11.189 billion during the same period of 2004.

The collection of customs duty from edible oil and waxes rose by 19.8 per cent to Rs8.158 billion as against Rs6.807 billion last year.

The customs duty collection up by 63.3 per cent on import of POL products to Rs6.881 billion during the period under review as against Rs4.215 billion in the same period last year.

An increase of 4.8 per cent was recorded in customs duty on import of machinery at Rs5.577 billion during the July-Dec period of the fiscal year 2005-06 as against Rs5.322 billion in the same period last year.

The customs duty collection on import of electrical machinery increased by 9.9 per cent to Rs4.236 billion as against Rs3.855 billion; customs duty collection from iron and steel increased by 39.8 per cent to Rs3.692 billion as compared to Rs2.640 billion.

The customs duty collection rose by 26.8 per cent to Rs1.659 billion on import of paper and paperboard as against Rs1.308 billion; an increase of 40.7 per cent to Rs989 million on import of articles of iron and steel was registered as compared to Rs703 million last year.

The customs duty collection declined by 4.3 per cent to Rs2.717 billion on import of plastics and articles during the July-Dec period as against Rs2.840 billion last year; customs duty declined by 27.5 per cent on import of organic chemicals to Rs2.001 billion as against Rs2.760 billion last year.

The customs duty collection on import of tea, coffee, mate and spices declined by 5.7 per cent; tanning or dyeing extracts three per cent, man-made filaments 12.4 per cent, rubber and articles 1.8 per cent and miscellaneous products by 14.8 per cent during the first half of the current fiscal year, over the same period last year.