Dry fruits body NDFC seeks import duty rationalisation, lower GST in Budget

The Nuts and Dry Fruits Council of India (NDFC) connected Wednesday urged the authorities to rationalise walnut import work connected a per-kilogram basis, trim GST to 5 per cent, and present a production-linked inducement strategy for the assemblage successful its pre-budget proposals.

India's adust fruits marketplace is projected to deed $12 cardinal by 2029, increasing astatine 18 per cent CAGR, according to the manufacture body.

With Kashmir producing implicit 90 per cent of home walnuts, NDFC President Gunjan V Jain emphasised the request for protecting section farmers contempt the existing 100 per cent import tariff.

"We person sought per-kilo import work connected walnuts alternatively of percentage-based taxation," Jain said portion announcing MEWA India commercialized show's 2nd edition, scheduled for February 11-14 successful Mumbai.

The assembly recommended mounting walnut import work astatine Rs 150 per kg, akin to almonds' Rs 35 per kg rate.

Currently, India relies heavy connected walnut imports from Chile and the USA to conscionable home demand.

The assembly has besides requested accrued subsidies for expanding accumulation areas nether walnut and different adust fruits to trim import dependence.

NDFC sought GST simplification from 18 per cent to 5 per cent connected adust fruits, considering their wellness benefits and to marque them much affordable.

Additionally, the assembly has projected implementing a production-linked strategy targeting tiny to medium-scale operators.

NDFC Treasurer Yash Gawdi highlighted that contempt multi-fold maturation successful adust fruits demand, home accumulation hasn't kept pace.

While adust fruits connection amended returns compared to different crops, challenges see tiny onshore holdings, infrastructure gaps, little yields and agelong gestation periods.

The recently established assembly is conducting walnut plantation drives successful Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, targeting 2 lakh trees successful 2 years.

NDFC has partnered with a Chilean manufacture assemblage for exertion transportation and cognition sharing.

The upcoming MEWA India commercialized amusement is expected to diagnostic implicit 300 exhibitors from 50-plus countries, with 22 nations confirming participation.

India ranks arsenic the world's second-largest adust fruits user aft the United States.