Deka also pointed out that the exemption on exports through the ICD was not providing any benefit to majority of the tea gardens of the State. He said that only a handful of major tea companies export tea directly through the ICD, Pandu. He said that most tea gardens sell tea either through the auction centre or directly to buyers who blend it and export through Kolkata or Mumbai.
It may be mentioned here that in a pre-budget memorandum to the Chief Minister, the TAI had sought a moratorium on payment of the outstanding dues as a large number of tea gardens are not in a position to pay the outstanding dues because of the accumulated loss.
The tea industry has been opposing the increase of the land revenue rates by 80 percent in 2008 and this year too, the TAI had demanded that the rate, which is the highest among the tea producing States of the country, should be brought down to a reasonable level to provide a level playing field to Assam tea. However, the Chief Minister did not consider the request in his Budget for the coming financial year, Deka pointed out.
The TAI secretary said that the cess on green leaf, which is 40 paisa per kg in the Brahmaputra valley and 35 paisa in the Barak valley, is the highest in the country and in the neighbouring state West Bengal, the rate is only 12 paisa per kilogram. The TAI had requested the Government of Assam to reduce the cess but that was also not done.
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via NorthEast Calling - NorthEast India | India's No1 online News Magazine http://www.necalling.com/tea-industry-disappointed-with-state-budget/
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