WB CM Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Modi, seeks customs duty exemption for Gobindobhog rice

In the letter, Banerjee said the Centre's decision to impose a 20% customs duty on premium rice varieties such as Gobindobhog has badly affected its export

PGurus Newsdesk

November 3, 2022

In the letter, Banerjee said the Centre's decision to impose a 20% customs duty on premium rice varieties such as Gobindobhog has badly affected its export

Mamata Banerjee seeks waiver of 20% Gobindobhog customs duty

Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to an exemption of 20% customs duty on the state’s famed Gobindobhog rice similar to the one given to Basmati. In the letter, Banerjee said the Centre’s decision to impose a 20% customs duty on premium rice varieties such as Gobindobhog has badly affected its export.

Gobindobhog is grown in a few districts of the state and it has been awarded geographical identification tag in October 2017, she said.

In a two-page letter to PM Modi, Banerjee wrote, “Unfortunately, the Government of India has imposed a 20% customs duty on rice, as a result of which the export business of the premium ‘Gobindobhog’ variety has been badly affected with a negative impact on the demand and domestic price of the paddy, and hence on the income of farmers.”

“It is appreciated that Basmati, another popular high-value aromatic rice variety, has been exempted from the 20% customs duty. It is, therefore, requested on the same logic by which Basmati has been exempted, the premium aromatic variety, Gobindobhog rice should also be exempted from such 20% customs duty on export at an early date to avoid loss of business and depriving benefits to our farmers,” she added.

“May I request you, Sir, to kindly issue necessary instructions for extending a similar exemption of the duty on export to the premium aromatic variety, Gobindobhog rice at the earliest,” she added.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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