(1) The board of supervisors of any county or the governing authority of any municipality is hereby authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to exempt from ad valorem taxation, excepting ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, all or any portion of the value of the products, including finished goods, owned by or remaining in the hands of any manufacturer, or its subsidiary, or any distributor or wholesale merchant, located within such county or municipality. The time of such exemption shall be for a period not to exceed a total of ten (10) years, which shall commence from the date such exemption is granted. Any request for an exemption must be made in writing to the board of supervisors or the municipal governing authority.

(2) The exemption granted herein shall be in addition to all other exemptions heretofore granted by the laws of the State of Mississippi.

(3) It is the sense of the Legislature that time limits imposed in Section 182, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, on the terms of certain ad valorem tax exemptions which may be granted to manufacturers and other new enterprises of public utility apply only to the physical plant of such manufacturers and enterprises and to any personal property necessary for the operation thereof; and any exemption for the finished products of such manufacturers and enterprises granted by the governing authorities of any county or municipality under this section after December 31, 1960, but prior to July 1, 1982, shall not be affected by the time limits established in subsequent amendments to this section after July 1, 1982, but shall remain in full force and effect subject to the original terms granted by such governing authorities.