Kashmir Fruit Grower’s & Dealer’s Association Appeals LG for Tax Exemption

Kashmir Fruit Grower’s & Dealer’s (KFGD) Association Saturday Appealed l Lt. Governor J&K Union Territory
for exemption of 18% GST on Cardboard Boxes.
In a letter to LG Shri Manoj Sinha the KFGD Association president Mr Basheer Ahmad Basheer has invited the attention of His Excellency to the discussions of the meeting held at Raj Bhawan Srinagar on 08-07-2022. We’re in as per the communique, among other things grant of exemption of 18% GST on cardboard boxes was also brought for the consideration.
The letter reads that Apple/Bagoasha/Pear was often packed in wooden boxes for safe arrival to respective destinations outside J&K (UT).
“Wood of Poplar Tree (Safida) is now exclusively used for vaneers to manufacture plywood sheets, thus leaving no option for Fruit Growers except to use Cardboard boxes as an alternate packing material for transportation of Fruits from Valley to outside J&K (UT)”, It reads.
Basheer further said that as 18% GST is now charged on Cardboard boxes and most of the Fruit Growers being Small Growers aren’t in position to afford the same in view of the price rise. As such the community is facing acute hardships with apprehension of heavy losses on this account.
He said that since the harvesting of Apple/Bagoasha and Pear is presently under active process in all Fruit orchards of the Valley, however, the scarcity of Cardboard boxes is one of the highest anxiety for Valley Based Fruit Growers Cum Dealers.
The community has as such requested the Lt Governor to take up the matter matter with the Concerned Authorities at Union Government level for consideration of exemption of 18% GST on Cardboard boxes.
They said that small Growers of the Valley can heave a sigh of relief and may not face any hardships in procuring the packing material (Cardboard boxes) for transportation of Apple Bagoasha and pear to respective destinations of the Country.