MP Pulses Industries Federation seeks scrapping of mandi cess

Madhya Pradesh Pulse Industries Federation (MPPIF) today demanded that the mandi (grain market) cess levied on the staple being transported to the state should be scrapped.
"The re-introduction of mandi cess on pulses being carted in the state since last three months has come as a cropper for people doing business of this staple commodity," MPPIF president Suresh Agrawal said in a statement.
"Due to 2.2 per cent mandi cess, the price of pulses in Madhya Pradesh was much higher than in Gujarat and Maharashtra. This was detrimental to the interests of the pulse mill owners," he added.
Quoting a report, he said the pulse mill owners are shelling out Rs 35,000 as mandi tax on a truck load of the raw staple.

"This was inflating their cost of production and thus the mandi cess should be rolled back immediately", he said.