Farmers demand waiver of GST on farm inputs, equipment
Farmers’ unions from across the country have urged the Centre to remove GST on Agri produce, fertilizers, pesticide, and drip irrigation equipment, and change agriculture lending policy to increase the loan amount to 75% of the land value.
On Sunday, after a two-day round table of Raitha Parishath, involving farmers’ representatives from different States, farmers sought the abolition of the policy that mandates securing permission from the nearest sugarcane factory for setting up of ethanol units.
“FRP for sugarcane should be considered as farm gate price. The MSP should be fixed for all Agri products and provide legal protection. Crop insurance should be extended to all products,” said National Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurubur Shanthkumar, explaining the resolution passed during the round table discussion of farmers’ representatives. “GST on turmeric should be removed. The guidelines to compensate crop damage due to natural disaster should also be changed.”
The Raitha Parishath also urged the Centre to waive off interest on loans of all agriculture institutions that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and consider it as a fresh loan. It also urged the Centre to withdraw from the WTO agreement.
Pertaining to Karnataka, Mr. Shanthakumar said that the farmers’ representatives also urged that the State should announce its intention on the future of its APMC Amendment Act and Land Reforms Amendment Act after the Centre abolished the three farm acts. “Karnataka should also implement the raitha bandhu scheme of Telangana, and pay annually INR 10,000 to every farmer for every acre he owns. The State also should announce INR 5 lakh life insurance to all farmers on the lines of Telangana.
Representatives of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Haryana took part in the round table.
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