Strike-hit Venezuela to lift some import tariffs

www.forbes.com Reuters, 01.20.03, 2:26 PM ET

CARACAS, Venezuela, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government plans to temporarily lift import tariffs on a range of essential food items and consumer goods to ease shortages caused by a 50-day-old opposition strike, Production and Trade Minister Ramon Rosales said Monday.

The affected food products would include grains, pre-cooked maize flour, refined sugar, tuna and soft drinks. Also included in the measure would be detergents, toilet paper and raw material inputs for the food packaging industry.

Rosales told Reuters in an interview the measure would take effect this week and would last six months.

"Tariffs will be lifted for the import of some food products ... some inputs for industries ... and non-food products which are basic consumer items," he said.

The seven-week-old strike called by opposition leaders against leftist President Chavez has drastically reduced oil production and exports by the world's No. 5 petroleum exporter. It has also caused shortages of gasoline, some foodstuffs and basic consumer items.