Sugar smuggling plummets due to low price

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Smuggled sugar seized by An Giang Customs. Photo: T.H

The ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) took effect from January 1, 2020, in which the most important factoris the reduction of import tax and the elimination of sugar import quotas.

This information has impacted the current domestic sugar price, making itlower than the price in the Cambodian market. The sugar price on the domestic market in An Giang ranges from 12,800 to 13,100 VND/kg, lower than the price of 14,400 VND/kg in Cambodia.

This has led to adecrease in sugar smuggling. In April, anti-smuggling forces of AnGiang province seized nearly 10 tonners of smuggled sugar, decreasing by 6.57% compared to the previous month and decreasing by 62% compared to 2019.

The smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across AnGiang Border gate in the last four years still takes place, but the scale and operation level has decreased significantly. Most arrests and seizures are ofsmall quantity and derelict goods.