Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

VAT on coconut oil to go: Isaac

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said here on Sunday that the Government would withdraw the Value Added Tax (VAT) on coconut oil.

Addressing a seminar organised by the Coconut Development Board in connection with Coco-fest 2007, the Minister said the proposal to exempt coconut oil from VAT was approved at a recent meeting of Finance Ministers in New Delhi. Other States also would not be charging VAT on coconut oil.

Dr. Isaac announced that the tax on processed coconut water would be reduced from 12.5 per cent to 4 per cent. He said all agencies under the Government needed to work together to solve the problems of the farmers.

Aid promised

The Government would be providing all assistance for the programmes being implemented by the board. It would also take steps for the success of the coconut procurement programme.

The help needed from the part of the Government would be provided immediately.

Prizes presented

The Minister presented the cash prize (Rs.5,000) for the best bunch of coconut exhibited during the seminar to Gopalakrishnan from Balaramapuram, near here. Kerafed chariman Sukumara Pillai presented prizes to winners of cookery contests. Mayor C. Jayan Babu presided.

Agriculture Production Commissioner K. Jayakumar; Coir Board vice-chairman C. M. Kamaraj; and board Chairman Minnie Mathew spoke.

A business meet organised by the board during the fete attracted more than 60 delegates. Enquires were received for various products made from coconuts including packaged coconut water and vinegar made from coconut water.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Drive on to clean up SAT Hospital
Illegal slaughterhouses raided
Plea to check traffic violations in city
Neelakurinji - generation next
VAT on coconut oil to go: Isaac
SAT issue: FRAT seeks stern action
Chandy visits Thycaud hospital
IMA spurns conspiracy theory
`Government derailing sports schemes'
Around the City
In Thiruvananthapuram Today
Reader's Mail

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu