Economist: Raising customs duties by 30% will destroy the economy and burden the citizen.
Economist: Raising customs duties by 30% will destroy the economy and burden the citizen.
1-8-2026
Information/Special..
Economic expert Sajjad Hamad warned today of the repercussions of the decision to raise customs tariffs by 30%, stressing that this step will lead to a significant increase in prices, and will cause direct damage to the national economy and the citizen alike.
Hamad told Al-Maalouma that imposing a 30% customs duty, in addition to another 3% fee, as well as collecting $5,000 under the name of “quality mark” on some imported goods, will lead to an actual increase in prices of at least 20%, which will immediately affect the purchasing power of the citizen.
He added that what is known as the “quality mark” fees on imported products does not serve the Iraqi economy, but rather represents an indirect tax on it, and leads to the waste of public money, noting that these measures do not contribute to supporting local production as is being promoted, but rather open new doors for corruption and complicate imports.
Hamad explained that the citizen is the first victim of any customs or tax increase, noting that those with limited income will bear the greatest burden, at a time when Iraqi families are suffering from accumulated living crises and a continuous rise in the cost of living.
He explained that customs policies should be based on accurate economic studies that take into account the reality of the local market and balance the protection of the national product with not imposing additional burdens on the citizen, stressing that arbitrary decisions will lead to economic stagnation and higher poverty rates.
Hamad concluded by calling on the government to reconsider these measures and prioritize the citizen’s interest, warning that the continuation of these policies would lead to a new wave of price hikes that could ignite public unrest and deepen the country’s economic crisis.
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