Mamata urges Modi for 20 p.c customs responsibility exemption for ‘Gobindobhog’ rice
3 min readBy PTI
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that the Centre’s determination to impose 20 p.c customs responsibility on premium rice varieties comparable to ‘Gobindobhog’ has badly affected its export and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him for an exemption just like the one given to Basmati rice.
In the letter, Banerjee addressed Modi as ‘sir’ and requested him “to kindly issue necessary instructions” on this regard.
“Unfortunately, the Government of India has imposed a 20 percent 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,” Banerjee wrote in her two-page letter to Modi.
“It is appreciated that Basmati, one other widespread high-value fragrant rice selection, has been exempted from the 20 p.c customs responsibility.
It is, subsequently, requested on the identical logic by which Basmati has been exempted, the premium fragrant selection, Gobindobhog rice must also be exempted from such 20 p.c customs responsibility on export at an early date to keep away from lack of enterprise and depriving advantages to our farmers,” she added.
She mentioned ‘Gobindobhog’ is “grown in a few districts of the state and it has been awarded geographical identification in October 2017”.
“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.
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that the Centre’s determination to impose 20 p.c customs responsibility on premium rice varieties comparable to ‘Gobindobhog’ has badly affected its export and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him for an exemption just like the one given to Basmati rice.
In the letter, Banerjee addressed Modi as ‘sir’ and requested him “to kindly issue necessary instructions” on this regard.
“Unfortunately, the Government of India has imposed a 20 percent 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,” Banerjee wrote in her two-page letter to Modi.
“It is appreciated that Basmati, one other widespread high-value fragrant rice selection, has been exempted from the 20 p.c customs responsibility.
It is, subsequently, requested on the identical logic by which Basmati has been exempted, the premium fragrant selection, Gobindobhog rice must also be exempted from such 20 p.c customs responsibility on export at an early date to keep away from lack of enterprise and depriving advantages to our farmers,” she added.
She mentioned ‘Gobindobhog’ is “grown in a few districts of the state and it has been awarded geographical identification in October 2017”.
“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.
