The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs ( CBIC ) has clarified that the fertilizers supplied for direct use as fertilizers, or supplied for use in the manufacturing of other complex fertilizers for agricultural use (soil or crop fertilizers), will attract 5% IGST.
In a circular issued last day, the Board pointed out that in the GST regime, tax structure on fertilizers has been prescribed on the lines of pre-GST tax incidence. The wording of the GST notification is similar to the central excise notification except certain changes to meet the requirements of GST. These changes were necessitated as GST is applicable on the supply of goods while central excise duty was applicable on manufacture of goods. Accordingly, fertilizers falling under heading 3102, 3103, 3104 and 3105, other than those which are clearly not to be used as fertilizers, attract 5% GST [S. No. 182A to 182D of the First schedule to the notification No.1/2017-Central Tax (Rate) dated 28.06.2017].
“However, the fertilizers items falling under the above mentioned headings, which are clearly not to be used as fertilizer attract 18% GST [S. No. 42 to 45 of the III schedule to the notification No. 1/2017 Central Tax (Rate)]. The intention has been to provide concessional rate of GST to the fertilizers which are used directly as fertilizers or which are used in the manufacturing of complex fertilizers which are further used as soil or crop fertilizers. The phrase “other than clearly to be used as fertilizers” would not cover such fertilizers that are used for making complex fertilizers for use as soil or crop fertilizers,” the Board said.
