1. As per GST notification No. 11/2017-Central Tax (Rate), S.No. 24 and notification No. 12/2017-Central Tax (Rate), S.No. 54, dated 28thJune 2017, the GST rate on loading, unloading packing, storage or warehousing of agricultural produce is Nil.

2. Agricultural produce in the notification has been defined to mean “any produce out of cultivation of plants and rearing of all life forms of animals, except the rearing of horses, for food, fibre, fuel, raw material or other similar products, on which either no further processing is done or such processing is done as is usually done by a cultivator or producer which does not alter its essential characteristics but makes it marketable for primary market”

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5. Processing of sugarcane into jaggery changes its essential characteristics. Thus, jaggery is also not an agricultural produce.

In view of the above, it is hereby clarified that processed products such as tea (i.e. black tea, white tea etc.), processed coffee beans or powder, pulses (de-husked or split), jaggery, processed spices, processed dry fruits, processed cashew nuts etc. fall outside the definition of agricultural produce given in notification No. 11/2017-CT(Rate) and 12/2017-CT(Rate) and corresponding notifications issued under IGST and UGST Acts and therefore the exemption from GST is not available to their loading, packing, warehousing etc. and that any clarification issued in the past to the contrary in the context of Service Tax or VAT/ Sales Tax is no more relevant.

Source Circular No. 16/16/2017-GST dated 15/11/2017