Entrepreneurs Bearing Brunt of Double Taxation on Black Cardamom

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Entrepreneurs Bearing Brunt of Double Taxation on Black Cardamom

May 23: Producers and distributors of black cardamom are bearing the brunt of double taxation. They complain that they have to pay export tax in the district where they produce the cash crop in addition to the customs duty from the district from where they export it to India. They also have to pay service charge at two places.

Federation of Black Cardamom Entrepreneurs of Nepal Raj Kumar Karki says that the government should have facilitated the export of black cardamom once they pay export duty in the district where the cash crop is produced. He argues that the it is illegal to charge taxes at the local levels by misinterpreting the law. According to Karki, the multiple charges including tax has increased the price of black cardamom.

The districts where black cardamom is produced charge the businessmen Rs 10 per kg for exporting the product. Black cardamom is then sent to the districts sharing border with India where it is stored before export. The exporters again have to pay additional Rs 2.26 per kg for sending black cardamom overseas.

In addition to that, Birtamod Municipality has been charging Rs 10 per kg of black cardamom as service charge. Again, Mechinagar Municipality charges Rs 1500 to Rs 2000 per truck of black cardamom as service charge.

The federation has submitted a 15-point demand to the government seeking its support to end double taxation, construction of store houses, setting up of black cardamom development centre, grant and concessional loans, facilitate trade with Bangladesh among others.

 

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