Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee of Sangli also made similar demand for exemptions of turmeric fingers, coriander, raisin and dried red chillies as agricultural products. Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee of Sangli also made similar demand for exemptions of turmeric fingers, coriander, raisin and dried red chillies as agricultural products.

Agricultural traders protested outside the venue of the 21st Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting on Saturday, demanding exemption for agricultural implements and turmeric fingers, coriander, raisin and dried red chillies. Traders from Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee of Kolhapur, Sangli and Solapur also demanded removal of the commission on these products, saying they are purely “agricultural products”.

“In GST Act, all agricultural commodities are in zero per cent tax list, but the agricultural commodities of turmeric fingers, red chillies, coriander seeds.and raisin have not been included in the zero per cent tax list…the mentioned commodities are purely agricultural products…all the specified commodities are directly affecting the farmers. Now it’s direct impact is on direct realisation of agricultural produce of the farmers,” Kolhapur Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee said in its letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee of Solapur in its letter to the Finance Minister has said, “Turmeric and turmeric powder, coriander seeds are required in day to day household use of the common man. Also, these agricultural commodities are used in religious festivals and as well as poojas conducted all over India in various sectors…turmeric is also used by married Hindu men and women as symbols of soubhagya and suhagan. If the mentioned agricultural products are not included in zero per cent tax list, it is going to affect economic condition of farmers.”

Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee of Sangli also made similar demand for exemptions of turmeric fingers, coriander, raisin and dried red chillies as agricultural products.

At present, most agricultural commodities are exempt under the GST regime except the processed agricultural commodities. Turmeric fingers, coriander seeds (other than seed quality), raisin and dried red chillies are taxed at 5 per cent at present under GST.

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