Zero GST on milk, 5% on tractors and parts; why demand could jump

New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax Council on Wednesday decided to reduce tax rates on several dairy products, fertilisers, biopesticides and agricultural equipment, providing relief to farmers and consumers ahead of the festive season.

The 56th meeting of the GST Council chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved significant rate cuts for the agriculture and dairy sectors.

The council decided to make Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk and paneer completely tax-free by reducing the GST from 5 per cent to zero, as per the official statement.

GST on condensed milk, butter, other fats and cheese has been reduced to 5 per cent from 12 per cent.

The GST has been slashed from 12 per cent to 5 per cent on various agricultural machinery, including fixed speed diesel engines of power not exceeding 15HP, hand pumps, nozzles for drip irrigation equipment and sprinklers, agricultural and horticultural machinery for soil preparation, harvesting and threshing machinery, composting machines and tractors (except road tractors for semi-trailers of engine capacity more than 1800 cc).

The reduced rates will also apply to self-loading agricultural trailers and hand-propelled vehicles like hand carts.

GST on key fertiliser inputs including sulphuric acid, nitric acid and ammonia has been reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

The council also reduced GST from 12 per cent to 5 per cent on various biopesticides including Bacillus thuringiensis variants, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas fluoresens, Beauveria bassiana, NPV of Helicoverpa armigera, NPV of Spodoptera litura, neem-based pesticides and Cymbopogan.

GST has been reduced to 5 per cent on micro-nutrients covered under the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985.

The council reduced GST to 5 per cent from 18 per cent on comprehensive tractor components including rear tractor tyres and tubes, agricultural diesel engines of cylinder capacity exceeding 250 cc for tractors, hydraulic pumps for tractors, and various tractor parts such as rear wheel rim, centre housing, transmission housing, front axle support, bumpers, brake assembly, gear boxes, trans-axles, radiator assembly and cooling system parts.

The decisions are expected to reduce input costs for farmers and make essential dairy products more affordable for consumers. The new rates will be effective from September 22.

"The reduction in GST rates on UHT milk and paneer to nil and dairy products like ghee, butter and cheese from 12 per cent to 5 per cent marks a significant development for the food and FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) sectors. This move is expected to make these commonly consumed items more affordable, benefitting end consumers, particularly in price-sensitive rural and semi-urban areas," said Devendra Shah, Chairman, Parag Milk Foods Ltd.

"This will also benefit farmers, who are the backbone of this industry. Higher demand will allow farmers better income stability and the confidence to invest in better cattle care and feed. Over time, this can uplift rural livelihoods, strengthen the economy, and ensure that the growth of the organised dairy sector directly translates into a better quality of life for India's dairy farming families," Shah added.