Thu Jan 30 19:23:46 IST 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Merchants Seek GST Reduction on Food Items

**Madurai, January 30, 2025** – A delegation from the Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association Limited urged the GST Council in New Delhi to lower tax rates on several food items. The association claims that the current rates are placing an undue burden on small and tiny merchants.

In a meeting with Additional Secretary Pankaj Kumar Singh and other officials, the delegation, led by advisor S. P. Jeyapragasam, president S. V. S. S. Velshankar, and secretary S. Sai Subramaniam, requested reductions on various goods. These include lowering the GST on roasted groundnuts from 12% to 5%, biscuits from 18% to 5%, namkeens from 12% to 5%, dosa and idli batter from 5% to 0%, and dry fruits from 5-12% to 5%. They also sought a reduction on camphor from 18% to 5%.

The association argues that reducing GST rates would benefit not only merchants and manufacturers but also consumers, leading to a significant decrease in the cost of these essential commodities.

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