The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) has urged the Centre to take measures to revive the coffee sector. Observing that the government had resumed export benefits under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) from September 1, UPASI president AL. RM. Nagappan said the scheme, however, came with certain caps that would have serious implications for plantation commodities. Also, the notification was silent about MEIS scrips for the April to August period. Shipments for this period were affected when the government discontinued the scheme in April without prior information. While MEIS was cut early this year to 3%, from 5%, for plantation commodity exports, for instant coffee it was pared from 7% to 5%, he pointed out. Further, Rule 7 B(1) of the Income Tax Rules should be repealed as it prescribes that any grower who processes his coffee is subject to Income Tax to the extent of 25% of such income. This rule dissuades coffee growers from getting into value addition which is the need of the hour, he said. Mr. Nagappan had raised these issues at a recent virual meeting on the coffee sector’s issues.
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