In 2021, tax collection amounted to S/139.952 billion (US$34.988 billion), exceeding by more than S/13 billion (over US$3.250 billion) the amount projected in the multi-year macroeconomic framework and reaching the highest tax burden in the last seven years, the
These results reflect an increase of 44.4% over 2020 and 19.2% compared to 2019, thus widely exceeding the collection levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, the tax burden —which measures tax revenues as percentage of gross domestic product (GDP)— may have increased to 16.1% in 2021; it means 3.1 percentage points above the figure registered in 2020 (13%) and 1.7 percentage points higher than that of 2019 (14.4%).
In this regard,
Sunat Superintendent Luis Enrique Vera explained that one of the factors is the improvement in economic activity, with a GDP that is believed to have grown 13.2% last year, according to projections by the Central Reserve Bank (BCR).
It is also due to higher collection of internal taxes given the increase in domestic demand; the external boost through high international prices of metals, mainly copper; and the lowest comparison base in 2020.
Sectors' growth
Likewise, Vera pointed out that in 2021 there was an important growth in collection from the main economic sectors, such as mining (217%), construction (39%), commerce (34%), manufacturing (29%), and —to a lesser extent— services (11%). All these sectors registered significant growth compared to 2019.
"This important tax collection achieved in 2021 confirms the economic recovery and the institutional strengthening of Sunat to ensure the provision of resources to the State and fulfill our commitment to the common good of all Peruvians," he concluded.