By U ArchanaCOIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, affiliated to the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), staged a protest in front of the Coimbatore district collector’s office on Monday, as part of a nationwide protest against various taxes imposed on farmers.The protesters said GST, VAT and road tax are levied on agricultural tractors at the time of their purchase. Taxes are also levied on the diesel used for these tractors, increasing the burden further. The association demanded full exemption of these taxes, concerning their impact on the income of farmers and their families.AIKS district president S Palanisamy said, “Tractors play a significant role at almost all stages of farming. Seven countries have exempted taxes on agricultural tractors. Then why not India, where agriculture accounts for 18% of the overall GDP, exempt these taxes?”He added that such tax burdens force farmers to quit agriculture. If this situation persists, it could affect the entire population.“The sky-rocketing prices of fuel add to the challenges that farmers are already struggling with. The increasing debt and decreasing income pose a threat to the survival of farmers in an agricultural country like India,” he added.He stated that taxes like road tax and the National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) are being imposed on these tractors despite the existence of laws that restrict the usage of agricultural tractors on roads like national highways and expressways. However, they are used only for agricultural fields and related purposes.They demanded the inclusion of agricultural tractors under the agricultural equipment category. A petition highlighting these demands was submitted to the district collector, addressed to the Union and state govts.
