Says sector is not in a position to absorb any wage hike at present
A worker at one of the plantations in Wayanad plucks tea leaves. (Photo: DC)
KOCHI: The Association of Planters of Kerala has sought a moratorium on all taxes in the plantation sector till the crisis they are facing is over.
“Tax rates are highest in Kerala. So we would request the government to declare a moratorium on agricultural income tax, plantation tax, land tax and building tax till the crisis is over,” APK chairman C. Vinayaraghavan said on Saturday. He was addressing the 76th annual general meeting of the apex body of the industry.
The government charges Rs 700 per hectare as plantation tax and Rs 500 per hectare as land tax. In addition to the taxes, it has also hiked the lease rentals to Rs 1,200 per hectare, it was pointed out. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, Mr. Vinayaraghavan said plantation sector was not in a position to absorb an exorbitant wage hike at the moment.
“The price of all the major plantation crops such as rubber and tea are on the decline. In such a situation we will not be able to meet the demand for any significant wage hike,” he said.
“The average price of tea is down to Rs 87 per kg from Rs 103 a year ago.”
Referring to the recent incident of the strike by tea garden workers in Munnar, he said, “such demands without any rationale will make this sector perish sooner than later.”
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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