Srinagar, Aug 04: The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union (KVFGCDU) on Thursday sent a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, requesting him to exempt 18% GST on cardboard boxes.

KVFGCDU in a letter has said that most of the fruit growers cannot afford buying cardboard boxes in view of the highest cost prices, therefore, facing acute hardships with apprehension of heavy losses on this account.

“With great respects and humble submission the Management of this Union (Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union) would like to invite attention of your Excellency to the discussions of the meeting held at Raj Bhawan Srinagar on 08-07-2022 when among other things grant of exemption of 18% GST on cardboard boxes is also brought to your kind notice for consideration,” the letter reads.

“In this connection it is re-iterated here that Apple/Bagoasha/Pear was often packed in wooden boxes for safe arrival to respective destinations outside J&K (UT). Since the wood of Poplar Tree (Safida) is now exclusively used by weavers for manufacturing of plywood sheets leaving no option for Fruit Growers but to use Cardboard boxes as alternate packing material for transportation of Fruits from Valley to outside J&K (UT),” it said.

“Since 18% GST is now charged on Cardboard boxes and most of the Fruit Growers are Small Growers who cannot afford in view of highest cost price to use Cardboard boxes now (even the 2nd option in place of wooden boxes) as packing material and, therefore, facing acute hardships with apprehension of heavy losses on this account.  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,” it added.

“Under the circumstances explained above your Excellency is requested kindly take up the matter with Concerned Authorities of the Union Government for consideration of exemption of 18% GST on Cardboard boxes so that small Growers of the Valley can have a sigh of relief and may not face any hardships for packing material (Cardboard boxes) for transportation of Apple Bagoasha and pear to respective destinations of the Country,” the letter further added.kno