Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Cigerette sales remain hit in Kerala-India-NEWS-The Times of India

Cigerette sales remain hit in Kerala-India-NEWS-The Times of India: "KOZHIKODE: Sale of cigarettes continued to remain affected in several parts of Kerala for the third day today as wholesalers stopped taking fresh stocks in protest against the manufacturers' refusal to pay all taxes in advance before fixing the maximum retail price.

'Wholesalers have completely stopped taking stocks affecting retail sales in several places. We are meeting here tomorrow to chalk out our future course of action', Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi President, T Naseeruddin said.

Noting that the Samithi, a leading traders body in the state with over 10 lakh members, decided to agitate only after the manufacturers refused to pay the 12.5 per cent tax, he said traders were incurring heavy loss on account of this.

'Our demand that the company should pay all the taxes at the first point (before the product reaches the distributors) is only to relieve the wholesalers and retailers from incurring losses', Naseeruddin said, adding the Indian Tobacco Company should come forward to settle the issue amicably during its meeting scheduled in Kochi later in the day."

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