Peanut candy traders call for strike on Thursday

Madurai: Condemning the 18 per cent tax on peanut candy, called kadalai mittai in Tamil, under GST, the peanut candy traders have decided to strike and stage a protest at Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district on Thursday.

Kovilpatti is home to kadalai mittai production in the entire state, as over 2,000 units function in and around Kovilpatti. Under GST, the peanut candy has been taxed at 18 per cent and the decision has been widely condemned by the peanut candy traders. They have decided to stage a series of protests throughout the state.

On Tuesday, Vikramaraja, President, Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders Association, said that though the state government had promised them that GST would not affect the traders it was not the case. The 18 per cent tax for peanut candy was not acceptable, as most of them involved in the business are micro and smallscale traders and the tax structure favoured large corporates, he added. Thousands of families in Kovilpatti were involved in the cottage industry, he said. The main aim of the GST was to abolish the small scale traders and so to protest against the decision of central government they have decided to strike work on Thursday, he added.