ALAPPUZHA: Poultry traders in the state have locked horns with the government over the implementation of the GST.They will begin an indefinite strike from Monday and other merchants under the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasai Ekopana Samithi are set to observe a token strike on Tuesday after the discussions failed to reach a consensus on Sunday.
Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac discussed the issues with chicken merchants and Ekopana Samithi leaders at Alappuzha. The chicken merchants refused to accept the demand of the Finance Minister to sell chicken for Rs 87 per kg from Monday.
Thomas Isaac told the media chicken merchants are challenging the state government by increasing the price. “But, the government will not go back from its stand and if the chicken merchants are not ready to follow the government’s demand, the people of the state will stand against them,” he said.
All Kerala Poultry Federation general secretary S K Nazeer said, they will not be able to sell chicken at Rs 87. “We have already reduced the price by Rs 18. We are getting chicken from Tamil Nadu for Rs 87. Then how we can sell it for the same price? So we are going for an indefinite agitation from Monday,” he said.
Isaac said the government cannot accept the chicken traders stance. “The people should get chicken at the lowest price as the tax of the chicken went down with the implementation of GST. They augmented the price of chicken when the 14.5 per cent tax was abolished after the GST implementation. They are challenging both the state government and the people. They have hiked the price of chicken by 40 per cent,” said Isaac.
“The current stand of the chicken farmers is for supporting the large scale chicken importers of the state. They are experts in evading taxes. The state government will set up a special task force for inspecting their tax evasion and will take strict action if the situation demands,” the minister said.
Nazeer said the present stand of the state government will hamper the chicken industry of the state. “As many as 40,000 chicken shops are functioning in the state providing employment to about 8 lakh people. At least 22 lakh kg chicken are being sold daily in the state,” he said.