KOLLAM: With the 47-day-long trawling ban ending on Monday midnight, fisherfolk are dogged by uncertainty over the pricing of fishing equipment in the post-GST regime. The Government lacks a proper mechanism to monitor fishing equipment vendors who extort exorbitant rates from fishermen. This price hike will reflect in the retail fish market directly affecting the common man. The lack of intervention of Government departments including the Fisheries and Legal metrology in the issue has made the situation worse.
Non-taxable items including fish products, fishing equipment like nets, hooks, and ropes have become taxable, which has directly impacted the lives of these fishermen. Vendors make quick money as no regulatory authority keeps a tab on the pricing of these items. Fishing equipment including fishing nets and hooks are sold for unreasonable prices. These sellers fix the price without following any criteria. There is also no regulatory authority to control the price of fishing nets and hooks. “The net which could be purchased for Rs. 6000 earlier is now being sold for over Rs. 7000,” T. Peter, National Fish workers Forum general secretary told DC.
Under GST, nylon fishing ropes attract 18 per cent GST which was 0 per cent under the VAT regime. Fishing hooks and fishing twines have been listed under 12 per cent GST. Even dried fish attracts a GST rate of 5 per cent while outboard motors and navigational devices have been included under the highest slab of 28 per cent GST. Fishermen who purchase this equipment are not even given any receipt. Fishermen spend a major portion of their income annually to replace their fishing gear and the levying of new taxes at higher rates will take away a major portion of their income as taxes. Fisherfolk have warned of starting an agitation if the Government fails to intervene to settle the issue that affects both the fishermen and consumers of fish and fish products.
