Shipping agencies to Cuba are on alert regarding the possibility that the regime will not renew the tariff exemption for the importation of certain essential goods.
This measure, which has facilitated the entry of essential products to the country since the summer of 2021, after the protests of 11J, is about to expire.
The end of tariff exemptions is causing concern among both agencies and customers who depend on postal parcel shipping services to supply their relatives on the island.
From abroad, thousands of Cubans have used these exemptions to send food, medicines, and personal hygiene products, key items in a country facing a severe economic and supply crisis.
The possibility of reinstating tariffs would imply a considerable increase in the costs of shipping services to Cuba, directly affecting those who rely on these imported products to survive.
Until September 30, the government of Cuba will also allow the importation of electric generators with a capacity of more than 900 watts for non-commercial purposes. Anything that has not entered the country before the mentioned date may incur a value increase or be returned to the point of origin.
In response to this situation, several shipping agencies have decided to expedite their delivery processes, aiming to complete all pending packages before customs authorities make a decision.
According to representatives from some of these companies, demand has increased in recent weeks as people fear a rise in shipping costs due to possible changes in tariff policies.
"We are working at an accelerated pace to ensure that all packages arrive on time. We will not be leaving next Tuesday but this Thursday, because possible changes are coming in the resolutions that allow the import of bundles or equipment worth more than 200 customs points," commented the representative of a well-known shipping agency to Cuba.
However, the government is planning to boost the shipment of motorcycles to the island in November, which many people consider a sign that they will maintain the exemption from tariffs.
The government could change its decisions in any direction. It is important to remember that the Prime Minister of Cuba, Manuel Marrero Cruz, criticized in July those who, according to him, engage in bringing products exempt from customs duties and selling them "at excessively high and abusive prices."
He took the opportunity to promise that the government plans to supply its store system more, although, as is customary, they have not fulfilled that promise to date either.
The recent statements from the Cuban government have not made it clear whether the measure will be extended, which has generated uncertainty both for the agencies and for their clients.
If the regime decides not to renew this measure, shipping costs could increase dramatically, making access to products that are already scarce in the country even more difficult.
The courier agencies, like the Cubans abroad, are awaiting an official announcement that will clear up doubts and determine the future of package shipments to Cuba.
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