THERE has been an outcry at all ports of entry after the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) hiked duty of all imported goods following a hike in the exchange rate by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on Tuesday when it pegged the United States dollar at 1:57 against the Zimdollar, abandoning the previous US$1:$25 rate.

Zimra also trebled the value of the US$ against the rand, from US$1:R1,4349 to US$1:R3,3146, directly affecting the duty on all imports.

Duty paid for goods that had been received as of yesterday for which Zimra expected upward adjustments had to be reviewed upwards by a method called voluntary disclosure.

Shipping agents countrywide blamed Zimra for uploading new rates late on Wednesday evening and demanding that goods cleared as of yesterday before the new duty regime was introduced be topped up.

Goods for which duty had been paid will now require a top-up through voluntary disclosures.