Govt to consider bringing down GST on pesticides to 5%
As part of efforts to bring parity in taxation on agro-inputs, the Department of Chemical and Petrochemicals has approached the Finance Ministr y for reducing GST on pesticides from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. Along with fertilisers, pesticide is also an important agro input that helps in curbing pests and diseases on plants and plays a major role in increasing agricultural production. But unlike fertilisers that attract 5 per cent GST, pesticide is charged GST at 18 per cent, even higher than 12 per cent VAT before introduction of the new indirect tax system.