The Government has authorized a further 500 000 tonnes of maize imports free of duty (under the Tariff Rate Quota Scheme), in addition to 250 000 tonnes already imported free of duty earlier in the year. India does not normally rely on maize imports, which bear a tariff of 50 percent but following a 13 percent decline in the 2015 output, due to drought, the duty free imports are being allowed to help ensure adequate market availabilities pending the arrival of new supplies from the 2016 main Kharif season harvest available only from September.