Nepalese traders suspend potato and onion imports

Nepalese potato and onion traders have stopped importing these must-have vegetables after the government imposed VAT on them. Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat defended the move by recently telling parliament that taxing vegetables would discourage imports and would not harm consumers. Farmers' associations, however, do not believe that argument. They have submitted a memorandum to the Treasury Department urging that VAT on fresh produce be reversed, as it harms consumers who are already suffering from rising prices. The finance bill imposed a 13 percent sales tax on imported onions, potatoes, garlic, peas, frozen green leafy vegetables, kale, ...