Punjab businessmen demanding from the GST council to reduce the tax rates on dry dates from 12 percent (present) to 5 percent, similar to raisins and cashew nuts. 23rd GST Council Meeting started 9 November in Guwahati as businesses raised its demand in front of them.
Anil Mehra, President of All India Dry Dates Association, said: “We are demanding from the GST council to reduce the GST on dry dates from 12 percent at present to five percent as in the case of raisins and cashew nuts.”
Dry fruits are imported from Sukkur town in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Mehra also said that annually about 20 lakh bags (70 kg per bag) of dry dates are imported from the nearby country.
Mehra said, “Currently, the landed cost of dry dates stands at Rs 42 per kg and if the GST on this item is reduced, its cost will drop by Rs 3 per kg.” The imported dry dates are supplied in several states namely Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
