Cess on agri and marine products done away with

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) In a major financial relief to exporters of Indian agricultural and marine products, the Parliament has done away with all cess on the export of coffee, tobacco, spices and all marine and agricultural products.

The Cess Laws Repealing and Amendment Bill was passed in both houses of the Parliament yesterday.

''It is now reasonable to expect that the Indian products will become cheaper in the world market from March 2006, as a result of the abolition of this cess,'' Minister of state for Commerce Jairam Ramesh told reporters here today.

The abolition of the cess will make Indian goods more competitive in the foreign market and increase their pick-up there.

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