INDIA BUSINESS WORLD - DECEMBER 16^th - DECEMBER 31^st - 2007

FICCI SEEKS DUTY-FREE IMPORT OF PACKAGING MACHINERY

The government should allow import of packaging machinery at zero duty besides abolishing excise duty to help the $18.8-billion domestic packaging industry achieve a faster growth, industry body Ficci has said. Ficci has come out with a study comprising results of a survey of the packaging sector and recommended a ninepoint fiscal incentive package to boost the competitiveness of India's food processing sector. The industry chamber also demanded tax holiday for the packaging industry to boost research and development activities.