Representatives of the Higher Council of the Private Enterprise (COSEP) and the government met to discuss ways to alleviate the increase in food prices, caused especially by the rise in electrical energy costs.

An article in Prensa.com.ni reports that, "according to Bayardo Arce, presidential adviser for economic affairs, a reform ot the Tax Equity Act must be presented to the President of the Republic ‘urgently’ so that it can be sent to the National Assembly, looking to get it approved in an expeditious way. Arce said the partial tax reform seeks especially to curb the rise of two cordobas per liter of milk, but it also aims to alleviate some problems faced by the rice and poultry sectors. "

Mario Amador and Mario Zelaya, Vice presidents of COSEP, explained that "goods that should not be taxed with VAT and Selective Consumption Tax (ISC in Spanish) are those like flavored milk, because by law it is not considered a dairy product. Zelaya said that regarding the ISC there is an opportunity to negotiate the margins that can be reduced, but with the VAT the decision will be to make it 'zero or 15 percent.' "

Source: laprensa.com.ni