Kochi:
The service tax on airfreight and two per cent education
cess will adversely hit the air cargo export industry.
The
Kerala committee of The Air Cargo Agents Association of
India said the taxes would put exports in a disadvantageous
position. The major cargo from the Thiruvananthapuram,
Kochi and Kozhikode airports are perishables like vegetables
and fish.
At
present exporters of perishables are operating at a low
margin unlike the exporters of other goods, the association
treasurer, Shaji Varghese, said. Already, in addition
to freight, the exporters have to contend with fuel surcharge,
war surcharge and other indirect costs like e-raying.
The indirect cost will come to 50 per cent of the freight
charges. The export of perishables is the highest from
Thiruvananthapuram airport with about 50 tonne a day.
The exports through Kochi airport come to 15 tonnes daily
while it is seven tonnes through Kozhikode airport. The
Cochin International Airport has even signed an agreement
with APEDA for setting up a centre for perishable cargo
to promote agricultural and perishable product exports.
The
association along with the agriculture product exporters
association has represented the matter to the central
government in the hope of getting some concessions.
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