"The government is open to the idea of imposing taxes on the new wholesale markets to keep a level playing field," he said. Two other officials said the government was considering making the same concessions, but the government spokesman was not immediately available for comment. There was no immediate response from protesters to the official's proposals but Kavitha Kuruganti, a farmers' leader, told Reuters so far the government had not agreed to farmers' demands. Farmer leaders have demanded the government repeal the laws and retain mandatory government purchases, and said that buyers at private markets should pay the same tax as at state-run markets. Under the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, one of the new laws, private players are allowed to set up wholesale markets where transactions will not attract any kind of tax.

Source: bd News24 December 04, 2020 15:00 UTC