A panel of representatives of arecanut marketing societies met Governor Vajubhai Wala at the Rajbhavan in Bengaluru on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum seeking exemption from income tax.
Sirsi Totgars Sales Cooperative Society president Shantaram Hegde Shigehalli and general manager Raveesh Hegde, State Areca Marketing Cooperative Federation Shivamogga unit president H.S. Manjappa, and Siddapur taluk arecanut marketing society director Shanmukh Goudar were present. They sought exemption from income tax saying that cooperative societies were not profit-oriented and their revenue was being distributed among farmers. They demanded that the import of agriculture products be stopped as it would affect those depending on agriculture. They alleged that they were being harassed by I-T department officials.