Muscat: To help businesses affected due to the economic downturn and the Covid-19 threat, the government on Thursday announced the following measures.

Provide additional buffer stock for basic food commodities.

Provide warehouses available to government agencies for the private sector at no charge for consumer and retail items for the next six months.

Exemption of the tourist tax on restaurants until the end of August

Exemption from the municipal tax on restaurants until the end of August

Exemption from municipal fees for commercial establishments until the end of August

Postponing the loan installments of the small and medium enterprises(SMEs) Al-Rafd Fund for the next six months

Postponing the loan installments payable to the Oman Development Bank for next six months

Factories in industrial cities will be exempted from fees for a period of three months

Exempting companies with active commercial registers will be exempted from renewal fees for the next three months

Car sales agencies and financing companies told to postpone car payments for a period of three months

Reducing or postponing rents during the current period

Reducing handling, shipping and unloading fees at ports

Reducing air freight charges on food products and medicines.