Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday assured the agro-chemicals industry that he would take up the industry's demand to reduce GST on pesticides to 5 per cent from 18 per cent with the finance minister. Addressing the 11th Agrochemicals Conference 2022′ organised by FICCI, the minister stressed on the need for crop diversification and said farmers should grow more horticulture and costly crops.

On the industry's demand to reduce GST on pesticides, Tomar said the matter related to this subject is being dealt by the GST Council. “I will meet and apprise the Finance Minister about your demand,” he said.

Tomar said he would take up the issue with the finance ministry on behalf of the industry but a final decision on this would be taken by the GST Council. The minister was responding to the demand made by FICCI Crop Protection Committee Chairman R G Agarwal that the GST should be reduced to 5 per cent from 18 per cent, as it is in the case of fertilisers. This will bring down the cost and promote usage of crop-protection chemicals.

Tomar also emphasised on making agriculture profitable by increasing production and crop productivity, besides reducing input cost as well as post-harvest crop losses. He highlighted that the Centre has launched many programmes in the last eight years to boost agriculture sector and double farmers income.

Source: MoneyControl
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/agricultural-minister-tomar-to-take-up-industrys-demand-on-reducing-gst-on-pesticides-with-finance-ministry-8729421.html