A CAMPCO delegation led by President S.R. Sathishchandra and Managing Director Dr B.V. Sathyanarayana met Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and raised several issues affecting arecanut growers and cooperatives involved in procurement and marketing.
The delegation, which included Karnataka leaders Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, B.Y. Raghavendra, Kota Srinivasa Poojary and Araga Jnanendra, drew Shah’s attention to illegal and undervalued imports of arecanut through various HS classifications, including roasted arecanut under a classification introduced last October. It said low-priced imports, including duty-free and non-MIP-compliant consignments reaching the domestic market, were adversely affecting domestic prices and growers.
CAMPCO President Sathishchandra urged a “One Nation, One Tax” approach, saying additional local taxes and levies in some states put cooperatives at a disadvantage compared with private traders. Shah assured the delegation that suitable action would be taken and reaffirmed his support for cooperatives and their members.
The delegation also met Finance Minister Sitharaman and sought rationalisation of the 18% GST on Copper Sulphate used as a fungicide in Bordeaux mixture. It pointed out that the same product attracts only 5% GST when used as a micronutrient, despite its importance in crop protection. Sitharaman also highlighted government efforts to curb illegal import routes and strengthen vigilance at ports.
