Agriculture traders protest outside GST Council meet venue

Agriculture traders today staged protest outside the GST Council meeting venue here demanding that raisins, coriander seeds and dried red chillies should not be taxed.

In a representation to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Kolhapur Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee said that in Goods and Services Tax (GST) all agricultural commodities are in zero tax bracket.

However turmeric fingers, dried red chillies, raisins and coriander seeds attract a 5 per cent GST.

The Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Pandharpur, in their representation said while raw turmeric has been exempted from GST, turmeric fingers attract the levy.

The Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Sangli, said that the move to tax these commodities have impacted intermediaries associated with marketing of agri products.

The GST Council, chaired by Jaitley and comprising state counterparts, held its 21st meeting here today.

Among other things the council reviewed GSTN preparedness in handling returns.