ISLAMABAD, March 12: National Tariff Commission (NTC) will hold a public hearing at its office here on March 19 on the question of whether tariff protection should be given to the local manufacturer of two pharmaceutical products, it was officially stated here.

The request for such protection has been made by Pharmaen Ltd., the manufacturer of “Cephradine” and “Cephalexin, inputs used in the manufacture of antibiotics pharmaceuticals.

Currently, it has been contended, there is no tariff protection available on production of cephradine, although a limited tariff production has been made available on production of cephalexin. As a consequence, the indigenously manufactured products could not compete with the imported products, the company has stated.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Jute Mills Association has demanded exemption of raw jute from taxes. At present, raw jute is subject to 10 per cent customs duty.

In a petition sent to the National Tariff Commission (NTC) recently, PJMA requested that, besides zero customs duty on imported raw jute, a 20 per cent regulatory duty be imposed on jute goods imported from Bangladesh to counter what it called “the unfair trade practices of Bangladesh exporters.”

In order to further protect the local industry manufacturing jute bags, jute bags, jute cloth and twine/yarn, it called for export rebate at the rate of 10 per cent on export of jute goods.

The justification the association has given for its demand was that the local industry was incurring losses on its operations owing to the import of low-priced goods from Bangladesh.

The Tariff Commission, an official spokesman told Dawn, had decided to look into the matter. In this connection, it has invited the views of all the interested parties to be sent to the Secretary, NTC, within ten days. Besides, a public hearing will be held at the NTC office here at 11 a.m. on March 26.