Move up value chain with industry: Thimmappa

Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on Thursday urged the coffee planters to put up suitable industries in growing areas that would provide employment to people.

Inaugurating the Karnataka Planters Association’s 57th annual conference, here in Bengaluru, Thimmappa said, “The coffee plantation industry in Karnataka employs about five lakh workers per day. By putting up suitable industries it will help in raising an additional source of revenue and it will also help raise the economy of the state. Planters are well educated and they should put up an industry to move up the value chain in coffee.”

Thimmappa noted that although coffee comes under the ministry of commerce and industry, it is primarily an agricultural crop. Thimmappa recalled, “In the period when land ceiling was passed,I was among those who opposed it and asked for exemption for coffee growing.”

Minister of Animal Husbandry and Sericulture A Manju assured about addressing the concerns and issues of Karnataka  coffee growers. Manju would facilitate a meeting with the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah where the issues and challenges raised by KPA will be addressed.

Manju acknowledged that this be given importance in view of Karnataka being the largest producer of coffee in the country.

Karnataka Planters Association Chairman K Kurian said that the cost of fertilisers and other agricultural inputs have shot up more than 100 per cent over the last few years. The rate of VAT (value added tax) charged on agriculture inputs like chemicals and fertilsers, agricultural nutrients and mechanisation equipment is 5.5 per cent. Hence, KPA would urge government to exempt VAT on chemicals, fertilisers, nutrients and mechanisation equipment used in agriculture and plantations as this would reduce the burden on growers to some extent.

Kurian cited the example of Tamil Nadu and Kerala which have exempted VAT on chemicals and fertilisers.