Sangli traders allege Chinese raisins are imported via Afghanistan to exploit tax concession norms; collector orders inquiry

Kolhapur: Sangli district collector Ashok Kakade has taken serious note of the use of hazardous chemicals in raisins and allegations that Chinese raisins are brought to India via Afghanistan, after office-bearers of the Sangli-Tasgaon Raisin Merchants' Association submitted a written statement of demand to him on Monday.The association alleged that a few cold storage owners from Sangli district, taking advantage of the import tax concession, imported as many as 2,000 tonnes of substandard raisins into Sangli district, causing huge financial losses to local farmers and honest traders.Collector Kakade said, "The taluka agriculture officer and the assistant commissioner of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been ordered to inspect all the cold storages in the district and submit a report. Strict action will be taken against the guilty traders after the investigation."Maruti Chavan, the vice-president of Grape Farmers' Association, said, "It has been found that raisins imported via Afghanistan were washed and dried at two cold storage units and then packed in 15kg boxes as Indian raisins. Low-quality raisins are processed and then sold as Indian raisins at a higher price. Why are Indian raisins being defamed in the name of some inferior-quality raisin imported from China via Afghanistan?"Director of APMC at Sangli, Prashant Patil, said, "This year, the raisins are fetching a price of Rs 350 to 400 per kg. Therefore, raisin-producing farmers are getting good returns. However, some traders in Tasgaon and Sangli district have imported about 100 containers, which is approximately 2,000 tonnes, of Chinese raisins via Afghanistan. Chinese raisins are available at Rs 150 to 200 per kg. If they are imported directly into India, a 100% import duty is levied, but if imported via Afghanistan, no import duty is charged. These imported raisins are being packed in Indian boxes and sold as Indian raisins. This is very serious."If these raisins were imported legally, then a thorough investigation is needed to find out why they were packed in Indian boxes.About 1.5 lakh acres of land in Sangli district is under grape cultivation. However, due to unseasonal rainfall, price fluctuations, increased pesticide prices, increased labour costs, fertilisers, and inflated electricity bills, nearly 50% of grape cultivation was affected this season. Raisins are produced in large quantities in Miraj, Kavathemahankal, Jat, Bijapur, and some parts of Solapur. Due to the malpractice of imported raisins sold in Indian boxes, the farmers are facing extreme losses.Meanwhile, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana's Sangli district president Mahesh Kharade warned of a protest march on Jan 5 against the cold storages that are allegedly involved in importing raisins and selling them in Indian packaging.