Cuba Resumes Taxes On Imported Food

Cuba Resumes Taxes On Imported Food
June 19, 2012 12:30 PM

HAVANA, June 19 (Bernama) -- Cuba on Monday reimposed taxes on imported
food after an exemption four years ago when the island country was
ravaged by devastating hurricanes.

The General Customs Office of Cuba previously announced the new
regulation on its official website on June 1, stating that imported food
had been taxed since 1979 but the levy was suspended in 2008 when
powerful hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma caused great damage to its
agriculture.

Cubans living in the United States and visiting the island frequently to
bring back food supplies for their families have benefited most from the
exemption, Xinhua news agency quoted experts as saying.

It also greatly benefited the owners of thousands of restaurants and
coffee shops throughout the island since October 2010 as a result of the
economic reforms promoted by President Raul Castro.

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