The Christmas barrel concession period has been extended to next week Friday.

The concession period, which began on November 9, 2015, was scheduled to end on December 31. However, in a release issued Wednesday, communications consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister Elson Crick said Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves had extended the period to January 15, 2016.

This is the 15th consecutive year that Vincentians will have duty free concessions on barrels and boxes imported during the Christmas season.

A total of 13,378 concessionary barrels were imported during the period November 9, 2015 to December 24, 2015, with 34,140 barrels having been cleared between January 1 2015 and January 5, 2016.