Whale sperm, pickles and the pain reliever codeine will be considered essential goods in Venezuela and receive a preferential exchange rate under President Hugo Chavez’s new currency structure.
Bleach, cheese and whiskey have been deemed nonessential. Importers of essential items will pay 2.6 bolivars per dollar, while goods not on that list will get a rate of 4.3 per dollar, according to the government’s Official Gazette.
Full story: Chavez Deems Whale Sperm, Pickles ‘Essential’ Items – BusinessWeek