Farmers upset with decision to charge GST on agri goods

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 25

Upset with the Central Government’s decision to implement Good and Services Tax, farmers today opined that the decision to charge 18 per cent GST on pesticides and 12 per cent on manures and agricultural equipment would add to the financial burden on the farmers.

Expressing displeasure of the community, district secretary of the Bharatiya Farmers Union, Lakhowal, Sarup Chand Sidhu, said the way seeds had been exempted from the GST, other agriculture-related products and equipment must also be exempted so that the farmers don’t have to worry about the added inputs.

He explained that after levying of GST, a bag of DAP manure would be costlier by Rs 145 and that of urea will be costlier by Rs 31.

He said after the GST implementation, other items such as zinc and potash will also become costlier.

Sidhu argued that the Central Government was planning to end the subsidy being given to the farmers.

Instead of giving Rs 446.85 subsidy on a bag of DAP manure, the government will give it to the farmers at full price and also add GST charges.

He accused the government of trying to hide the real financial consequences of implementing the GST.

On behalf of the farming community, he urged the government to keep the agriculture goods and equipment out of GST.

He said since Punjab was an agriculture-based economy, the state government should take up the cause of farmers with the Centre.