Indonesia lowers Jan 1-15 CPO reference price, maintains export tax and levy rate
01/01/2024 (The Star Online), Jakarta - Indonesia has lowered its crude palm oil (CPO) reference price for the Jan 1-15 period to $746.69 a metric ton from $767.51 per ton, a trade ministry official said on Friday.
The reference price would keep the CPO export tax and export levy at $18 per ton and $75 per ton respectively.
The decree officially stating the reference price has not been made public yet.
Indonesia will also impose a new tax on e-cigarettes from Jan. 1, adding to an excise tax to help curb vaping, the finance ministry said on Saturday.
South-East Asia's largest economy has set the additional tax at 10% of the excise tariff for electronic cigarettes, the ministry said in a statement.
"Long term consumption of electronic cigarettes has been shown to affect people's health," it said, adding the tax on e-cigarettes is also needed to level the playing field with conventional cigarettes.
The new tax comes after indonesia, which has one of the highest smoking rates in the world, in 2018 imposed a 57% excise tax on essences used for e-cigarettes. The country has long taxed conventional cigarettes.
A group of e-cigarette producers and customers (PAVENAS) criticised the lack of discussion and the timing of implementing the tax, considering excise tariffs for the product will increase next year.
The group said in a statement it may consider going to court to challenge the tax if the government goes ahead with it. - Reuters