There were 74 local importers of medicine whom the government owed €17.40 million by the end of last month.
The government owed up to €100,000 to 47 importers; between €100,001 and €500,000 to 14 and over €500,000 to 13 importers.
Answering a parliamentary question by Carmelo Abela (PL), Social Policy Minister John Dalli added that by the end of the year the government would pay about €11 million, bringing the balance down to €15.3 million. This meant that the government would be utilising credit of between 120 and 150 days, rather than the agreed 150.