Luxury goods imports hit $545.9 million

CAIRO - 2 February 2019: The Ministry of Finance increased in December the value of the customs dollar for non-essential and luxury goods to be LE17.9 instead of 16 as imports of those had hit $545.9 million between January and September 2018.

The ministry classified those goods into 10 groups. The value of imports within each group is as follows: $258.9 million for cigarettes, tobacco and rolling papers; $187.6 million for hair and skin care products; $54.4 million for personal care products and air fresheners, $18.4 million for underwear and sleepwear; $14.8 million for vodka, whiskey, brandy, wine, and other alcohols; $6.4 million for instant soups, seasonings, ketchup, mayonnaise, and tomato paste; $2.6 million for matchsticks and lighters; $2 million for dental care products; $428,395 for wigs, artificial eyebrows, and eyelashes; and, $343,156 for shisha products.

The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) reported that imports of luxury goods recorded in the first eight months of 2017 more than $452.8 million.

The breakdown is $120.8 million for insecticides; $104.8 million for soap and detergents; $100.8 million for pet food, $57.5 million for shoes and soles; $36.4 million for kids toys; and, $32.5 million for Chinese clay.

In December 2016, a presidential decree increased the tariffs on 364 types of goods between 10 and 60 percent.