The Indian Tobacco Association has urged the Union Commerce Ministry to hike the duty drawback from one per cent on export of unmanufactured tobacco to 5.5 per cent. It has also sought extension of the scheme to all products, including tobacco refuse and by-products.
According to a press release here, the ITA represented the issue to the Tobacco Board Chairman, Mr G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, who in turn took it to the notice of the Union Commerce Ministry officials at an open house conducted in Hyderabad recently. The ITA also sought interest subvention of two per cent on tobacco export finance to unmanufactured tobacco as well, treating it as processed agri produce. Service tax exemption on tobacco at all stages was also sought.