Validity of import licenses is to be reduced

The National Executive is working to reduce the period of validity of food and agri-food raw materials import licenses.

Venezuelan Food Minister, Carlos Osorio, stated that the bodies that make up the Single Front Desk - a mechanism through which licenses are processed - such as the Foreign Exchange Administration Commission (Cadivi), the National Customs and Tax Administration Service (Seniat), the Venezuelan Ministry of Agriculture and Lands (MAT) and the Ministry of Food (Minal) will meet on Tuesday in order to reduce the validity period of import licenses which currently lasts a year, to three or six months, depending on the case.

"The period of validity of import licenses will be reduced. Usually, an importer came in and said he or she needed more time, because trade in the international market required a longer time. Licenses were granted with good intentions and some of the importers took the permits but did not use them when they should have done so," the Minister stated.

Osorio highlighted the import of more than three tons of potatoes by Pepsico, which affected the placement of the national product in the market.

"In this case, we granted an import license in July last year but the importers did not bring it (the merchandise) at the time, but they imported it now, when there is production of potato. It is unacceptable", he stressed.

The minister of Food emphasized on the fact that "if a license is authorized for a date of the year where there is difficulty, but the importer was not able to bring it, then he or she should not import it at all. Importing is not a business. It meets specific needs when we know we have them."

Through the Single Front Desk, Minal authorizes the imports of products such as: powder and UHT milk, corn, rice, sugar, poultry genetics, legumes, vegetables, fruits, among others.

Translated by Karen Daza