In Belarus the project of the presidential decree according to which excise rates on alcoholic products to be raised by about 10 % is prepared. According to preliminary data, new rates of the excise tax may be imposed since July, 1st. Besides, the document project provides also change of excise rates on tobacco production.
Specific weight of the excise tax and the VAT in vodka value is about 75 %, in value of ordinary fruit wine is about 40 %, of improved quality wine is 20-25 %, of grape wine is 26-28 %. At increase of the excise tax by 10% specific weight of tax payments, taking into account trading discounts, in vodka value will amount 78-82 % and 45-48 % in value of ordinary fruit wine, PRIME-TASS informs.
Meanwhile, the representatives of the wine-producing enterprises of Belarus say that profitability of the produced wine-making is about 6 %, of the realised products is 1.6 %. According to the calculations of the economists of the Belarusian wineries, increase of the excises by 10 % will cut profitability of realisation at least by 3 %. As the representative of one of the enterprises said, wine-making enterprises will operate at a loss.
However, the enterprises of the sector don’t plan to raise the price for products in connection with the considerable warehouse stocks of wine and low purchasing capacity of the population. Besides, the economists notice that retail prices for vodka can be raised, but rise in prices also will negatively affect products realisation.
According to the representative of one of the alcoholic beverage factories if the prices for vodka are raised, and on wine are not raised, realisation of wine will increase and vodka sales will decrease. «It means, that vodka warehouse stocks will continue to increase», the representative of one of the factories said.
In turn, the experts of the food market say that if such project of the decree will be accepted, Especial part of the Tax code will be devaluated. According to it, rates of the excise tax were imposed for the whole year.
The document project provides also decrease in the rate of the excise by 8.3 % to 6.1 thousand roubles for one thousand cigarettes of low valuation band. Also it is offered to raise the excise rate on cigarettes of average valuation band by 22,48 % to 15,3 thousand roubles and on cigarettes of high price category by 22,49 % to 25,2 thousand roubles.
