NEPAL
Tobacco imports have gone up by nearly 49% in fiscal year 2016/17 compared to the previous year. Birgunj Customs Office reported that 5,919.47 tons of tobacco, worth Rs2.19 billion, was imported in the first 10 months of 2016/17.
That figure was 3,955.77 tons the year before. Imported tobacco is used for cigarettes, packaged chewing tobacco, and gutkha. The Nepalese government collects around 50% of the cost of imported tobacco as tax. Whole leaf tobacco faces a 15% customs tax while ground tobacco is 30%. Importers also must pay excise duty and 13% VAT.
In the first 10 months of this fiscal year, the government has collected Rs1.44 billion from customs duty, excise duty, and VAT. Last year in the same period Rs688.63 million was received.