Port Blair, Dec. 8: Shri. Vishal Jolly, National Executive Member- BJP yesterday met Smti. Shobha Karandlaje, Hon'ble Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Affairs, Government of India, at New Delhi and made a specific request to remove "Arecanut (Supari)" from the framework of GST and to declare the same as State Crop in A&N Islands.

Jolly highlighted that Arecanut i.e. Supari is a major agricultural produce that 80% of the farmers in A&N Islands grow and sell. These farmers are totally dependent upon the growth and sale of the same and the Agricultural economy of our Islands is largely dependent upon the crop.

He pointed out that Andaman & Nicobar Islands is prone to cyclones and we face heavy rain around 8-9 months approximately in a year. Most of the cyclonic depression originates from our region and weather conditions largely doesn't remain suitable for our farmers due to the aforementioned climatic conditions.

Farmers suffer severe loss and damage of crops due to such weather condition and Arecanut not being a State Crop, they don't get any compensation for the damaged crops.

Apart from that, our farmers pay heavy Goods and Sales Tax (GST) on Dried Arecanut which further deepens their agony.

Arecanut is something on which 80% of our famer families depends which comprises of at least 1.5 to 2 lakhs i.e. around 40% of the total population of our Islands.

Considering these facts and circumstances, Jolly requested the Hon'ble Minister to declare Arecanut (Supari) as our State Crop and also remove the same from the scope and ambit of GST, in the larger interest of farmers of our Islands.

The Hon'ble Minister took serious note of the issues pointed out by Shri. Vishal Jolly and assured that all positive steps in this regard would be taken at the earliest.