ISLAMABAD, Jan 11: Dutiable imports surged by 24.82 per cent in December and 3.36 per cent in July-December period of current financial year in comparison with the same period last year.

On the other hand, the total imports bill during the first six months, however, increased by 11.3 per cent to Rs322.26 billion during July-Dec period against Rs289.53 billion last year.

A senior official told Dawn that the declining trend in the dutiable imports was arrested, adding it would further register growth in the next months.

He, however, said that the revenue under the head of customs remained behind the target as maximum rebate/refunds were released to the exporters to offset the impact of the current situation on the country’s exports.

Since 40 per cent of the total revenue comes from the dutiable imports, which registered 24.84 per cent growth during December, showing that the revenue would register increase in coming months.

And the revenue receipts from imports during the first six months of current fiscal declined by 33.11 per cent as it stood at Rs19.05 billion against Rs28.48 billion in the corresponding span last year.

Official figures compiled by Central Board of Revenue (CBR), released here on Friday, showed that the value of dutiable imports during the July-December 2001 was Rs188.05 billion against Rs181.94 billion during the same period last year, an increase of 3.36 per cent.

The value of dutiable imports decreased by 0.06 per cent during the first five months of the current fiscal and stood at Rs156.82 billion against Rs156.92 billion during the same period last year.

Interestingly, the value of the duty-free imports have declined by 24.74 per cent during the first six months of the current financial year as it stood at Rs134.21 billion against Rs107.59 billion during the same period last year.

On monthly basis, the total value of imports in December 2001 increased by 137.69 per cent to Rs105.25 billion against Rs44.28 billion during the same month last year.