Lao Cai Customs: Many challenges arise when revenue collection falls sharply

Professional activities at Lao Cai International Railway Station Customs Branch. Photo: T.Bình

The impact from phosphorus products and machinery

According to preliminary statistics of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, from the beginning of the year to March 5, Lao Cai Customs Department collected VND 113.6 billion, decreasing nearly 51% compared to the same period last year. Notably, the above result also only reached 7.57% compared to the assigned target in 2023 (the whole year's target is 1,500 billion VND).

According to the reporter's observations, Lao Cai Customs Department is one of the units having the lowest revenue collection results and is only about 1/2 the rate of the whole sector (compared to the whole industry's target of 14, 11%).

This result is a surprise in the context that right from the beginning of the year, China has restored all import-export and immigration activities in the border area bordering Lao Cai.

According to the Lao Cai Customs Department leader, despite the loosening moves from China, import and export activities through the area have not prospered as expected.

In February, import-export turnover through carrying out procedures at the Lao Cai Customs Department reached US$84.2 million, rising slightly by 4.7% over the same period last month. However, the accumulated from the beginning of the year to March 1 only reached US$161.2 million, a reduction of 43.6% over the same period in 2022. In particular, exports reached US$101.6 million, decreasing by 45.5 %; imports reached US$59.6 million, falling by 40.1%. The main export items include sulfur, phosphorus, cassava, fruits and veneer. On the other hand, the main imports are chemicals, fertilizers, coke, agricultural products, and confectionery.

Besides the sharp fall in turnover, import and export items that have contributed mainly to the revenue collection of the Lao Cai Customs Department in recent years have almost not arisen in the first two months of the year.

"The main revenue-generating items such as exported phosphorus carrying out customs procedures at Lao Cai international railway station Customs Branch, or machinery and equipment carrying out import procedures at the Lao Cai International Border Gate Customs Branch has almost not been implemented in the first 2 months of the year. While these are the items that contribute the largest revenue to the Department, "Deputy Director of Lao Cai Customs Department Duong Xuan Sinh said.

This year's phosphorus export is facing many difficulties because China reopened to trade while this is the world's leading country in importing this product, so exports from Vietnam would face fierce competition. On the other hand, investment projects in Lao Cai province in the first months of the year did not have much movement, so it affected the import of machinery and equipment.

Difficult quests

To complete the task of revenue collection for the whole year, in the remaining 10 months, the Lao Cai Customs Department has to collect about VND1,386 billion, equivalent to VND138.6 billion per month. This number is even higher than the revenue collected in the first two months of the year, which is a huge challenge for the unit.

According to the Lao Cai Customs Department leader, the unit has been focusing on drastically and synchronously implementing solutions to complete the task of revenue collection for the whole year. That is, strictly implementing Directive 479/CT-TCHQ of the General Department of Vietnam Customs on synchronous and drastic implementation of trade facilitation solutions, improving the efficiency of state management, and preventing revenue loss in implementation of state revenue collection tasks in 2023;

Reviewing enterprises engaging in import and export activities in Lao Cai to call for, encourage and continue to maintain import and export activities in the area;

Timely settlement of issues related to customs procedures, tax policies, tax management, tax refund and tax exemption. Continuing to reform customs procedures, tax administrative procedures, facilitating import and export activities;

Strengthen the monitoring, inspection and control of the declaration of import and export goods in terms of goods names, HS codes, quantity, value, and tariff rates to ensure correct and complete collection of taxes, fees, charges and other revenues into the state budget following regulations;

Furthermore, continuing to strengthen post-customs audit inspection, fight against smuggling and trade fraud, focusing on inspection and review of quantity, value, HS code, and origin for goods with high tax rate, large import turnover and high import frequency of import.

Promoting risk management through analyzing and identifying key points in import and export activities for businesses operating import and export activities in the area, guiding businesses to comply in the implementation of policies, and tax policy for import and export goods.