The State Government on Friday waived the four percent
VAT and one percent surcharge on fertilisers to aid
farmers hit by rise in prices of fertilisers.
“The decision will entail a liability of Rs 35 crore on
the State Government, but it would be of considerable
help to the farmers,” Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan
said. “The Agriculture Department has also devised a
scheme to reduce the additional burden caused by the
slight hike in rents of harvesters and tractors in the
private sector,” he said.
Custom hiring centres under the department are renting out the
machinery at nominal rates to the farmers. “The rents are fixed by the
monitoring committee led by the district panchayat,” the minister said.
“Machinery is also available at low rates from the Kerala Agro Industries
Corporation,” he said.
