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Budget 2004-05: Tobacco


In India, 'bidis' and chewing tobacco account for 86% of tobacco consumed. Cigarettes account for the remaining. With such a skew, growth prospects are promising. But globally, the industry under scrutiny for health reasons. It is believed that the Indian tobacco sector is the least taxed on a relatively basis. Given this backdrop, can the growth momentum continue?

 Budget Measures


  • 2% education cess on direct and indirect tax
  • Focus on development of agriculture, infrastructure, education and health
  • 20% dividend distribution tax for corporates who invest in debt funds
  • Increase in excise duty on matches made in the mechanised/semi-mechanised sector from 8% without Cenvat credit to 16% with Cenvat credit

     Budget Impact


  • Though the tobacco companies will have to pay marginally higher tax, the fact that the Finance Minister did not raise any excise duties for cigarette companies was an overwhelming positive

  • The distribution tax on debt funds will have an adverse impact on the other income component of companies ITC, who have significant exposure to the debt markets.

  • No effect of hike in excise duty on matches, as companies like ITC only market matches sources from small scale industries (SSI)


     Sector Outlook


  • The fact that the FM did not hike excise duties on cigarettes is a big positive for companies like ITC. However, measures like ban on sponsorships by tobacco companies, ban on public smoking and virtually punitive taxation policy continues to put pressure on volume growth. Though the FM has given respite to tobacco this time, the question is whether this respite will continue over the long term. Overall, despite the negatives, we remain optimistic on the tobacco sector, it being a habit industry.


     Industry Wish List


  • Industry chambers favour that the specific excise duty structure based on the length of cigarettes should be continued.

  • Tobacco companies are hoping that a specific policy will be announced to discourage smuggling of contraband cigarettes.

  • The tax rebates on investments in tobacco plantations in backward areas should be continued.

  • Additional duty of excise (AED) on cigarettes at specific rates should continue even after implementation of VAT.


     Budget over the years


    Budget 2001-02 Budget 2002-03 Budget 2003-04
    Imposed 15% surcharge on excise duty for cigarettes

    Excise duty on 'bidis' increased from Rs 6 to Rs 7 per thousand bidis

    Total duty on pan masala increased to 55%-60%

    Tobacco products like chewing tobacco would be charged a total duty of 60%

    The excise duty structure remains more or less unchanged for tobacco sector

    Sales (value added tax) VAT increased to 16% on cigars and other value added tobacco products

    Excise duty on nicotine reduced from 16% to 8%.

    Henceforth, state levies cannot exceed 4% on tobacco

    Other than this, the excise duty structure has been more or less left untouched for tobacco sector

    [Read more on Budget 2001-02] [Read more on Budget 2002-03] [Read more on Budget 2003-04]

    Key Positives
  • It's a habit industry and hence, continues to thrive despite odds like punitive taxation, ban on smoking in public places and restrictive advertising.

  • Being a habit industry, it finds it comparatively easy to pass on excise duty hikes, though lately there have been signs of a resistance to price hikes.

      
    Key Negatives
  • Heavily penalized through punitive taxation policies. Cigarette companies pay roughly 50% of their revenues as excise. As a result, the share of cigarettes in total tobacco consumption has declined from 21% in 1981-82 to a mere 14% in 2003.

  • Domestic cigarette companies suffer a double whammy. On the one hand, they are barred from sponsoring sports and cultural events and on the other contraband cigarette volumes continue to thrive. Net result, volume growth is sluggish. In the last 20 years, tobacco consumption in non-cigarette varieties has increased especially in the chewing format by 68 m Kgs and reduced in the cigarette format by 21 m Kgs.


    Budget Impact: Tobacco Sector Analysis for 2004 | Tobacco Sector Analysis for 2005-06
    Latest: Performance Of Tobacco Stocks | Tobacco Sector Report

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    Sector Performance
    COMPANY PRICE (Rs)
    AAYUSH FOOD & HERBS 257.0
    (2.0%)
    ADF FOODS 226.9
    (-2.9%)
    AGRO TECH FOODS 756.2
    (0.5%)
    AMRIT CORPORATION 938.0
    (2.0%)
    ANDHRA SUGAR 107.3
    (-0.8%)
    ANIK INDUS. 55.7
    (1.9%)
    ANJANI FOODS 31.9
    (-1.3%)
    ANNAPURNA SWADISHT 373.6
    (-0.0%)
    ANS AGRO IND. 10.8
    (-3.1%)
    ARUNA HOTELS 11.7
    (0.6%)
    ASHOK MASALA MART 21.2
    (-5.0%)
    ASSO.ALCOHOL 554.7
    (0.8%)
    AVEER FOODS 550.0
    (0.2%)
    B & A. 563.8
    (1.9%)
    BAMBINO AGRO 361.1
    (1.7%)
    BIKAJI FOODS 532.9
    (0.8%)
    BOMBAY BURMAH 1,548.4
    (-1.8%)
    BRITANNIA 4,770.6
    (-0.6%)
    CCL PRODUCTS 591.9
    (0.3%)
    CHORDIA FOOD 87.1
    (-0.3%)
    COASTAL CORPORATION 252.1
    (-0.6%)
    DANGEE DUMS 9.4
    (-1.1%)
    DEVYANI INTERNATIONAL 166.2
    (-0.2%)
    DFM FOODS 461.7
    (0.1%)
    DHUNSERI VENTURES 330.2
    (-1.5%)
    DIANA TEA CO 29.5
    (-7.5%)
    DODLA DAIRY 962.8
    (-0.4%)
    EMPYREAN CASHEWS 240.0
    (1.1%)
    FLEX FOODS 136.2
    (-1.3%)
    FOODS & INNS 157.4
    (-2.6%)
    FRESHTROP FR 159.2
    (2.2%)
    FUTURE CONSUMER 0.9
    (2.2%)
    G.M. BREWERIES 782.0
    (-1.6%)
    GLOBUS SPIRITS 789.2
    (-0.4%)
    GODFREY PHILLIPS 3,346.1
    (1.0%)
    GOLDEN TOBACCO 43.1
    (-5.0%)
    GOODRICKE 185.3
    (0.9%)
    GRM OVERSEAS 148.7
    (0.2%)
    GULSHAN POLYOLS 213.0
    (-3.1%)
    HALDER VENTURE LIMITED 568.0
    (5.0%)
    HARR.MALAYALAM 191.8
    (1.8%)
    HATSUN AGRO PROD. 1,101.0
    (0.6%)
    HEALTHY LIFE 7.0
    (19.9%)
    HERITAGE FOOD 332.4
    (0.0%)
    HIMALYA INT. 24.4
    (-2.3%)
    HINDUSTAN FOODS 505.2
    (-1.5%)
    HMA AGRO INDUSTRIES 60.9
    (-2.7%)
    IB INFOTECH 152.8
    (4.6%)
    INDONG TEA COMPANY 22.1
    (-3.1%)
    ITC 435.6
    (-0.6%)
    IVP 174.0
    (1.8%)
    JAGATJIT IND 196.5
    (-3.5%)
    JAMES WARREN TEA 223.0
    (0.0%)
    JAYS HREE TEA 106.4
    (-1.4%)
    JETMALL SPICES 16.2
    (-14.6%)
    JHANDEWALAS FOODS 153.0
    (-0.7%)
    JOONKTOLLEE TEA 99.9
    (-0.7%)
    JUBILANT FOODWORKS 462.9
    (5.4%)
    KANCO TEA & INDUSTRIES 73.1
    (-0.2%)
    KMG MILKFOOD 33.0
    (-5.0%)
    KN AGRI RESOURCES 131.5
    (0.2%)
    KOHINOOR FOODS 42.0
    (1.2%)
    KORE FOODS 6.1
    (-9.1%)
    KOTHARI FERM 81.2
    (-2.3%)
    KOVIL.L.MILL 198.5
    (-0.7%)
    KRBL 295.3
    (-0.7%)
    LONGVIEW TEA 45.0
    (0.9%)
    LT FOODS 215.8
    (0.8%)
    LYKIS 48.0
    (-1.2%)
    MANJUSHREE PLANTATIONS 447.3
    (0.2%)
    MCLEOD RUSSEL 26.3
    (2.0%)
    MEGASTAR FOODS 288.8
    (0.6%)
    MODERN DAIRIES 34.9
    (-1.2%)
    MRS BECTORS FOOD 1,277.0
    (0.7%)
    NEELAMALAI AGRO 3,778.1
    (-1.9%)
    NESTLE 2,506.1
    (-0.2%)
    NORBEN TEA 12.9
    (0.5%)
    OVOBEL FOODS 225.5
    (-2.6%)
    PARAG MILK FOODS 211.9
    (-1.0%)
    PATANJALI FOODS 1,510.3
    (-3.4%)
    PRATAAP SNACKS 889.9
    (-1.4%)
    PRIMA AGRO 26.2
    (-0.0%)
    PRIMA INDUSTRIES 24.1
    (-5.0%)
    PRIME INDUST. 215.8
    (0.5%)
    PROGREX VENTURES 17.3
    (0.0%)
    R.T.EXPORTS 34.7
    (5.0%)
    RADICO KHAITAN 1,756.6
    (-0.7%)
    RAGHUNATH TO 18.2
    (0.2%)
    RAVI KUMAR DIST. 25.0
    (-4.8%)
    REAL REALTY MGMT. 32.8
    (-0.9%)
    RESTAURANT BRANDS ASIA 99.8
    (-0.2%)
    RETRO GREEN 10.3
    (0.1%)
    RITESH INDUSTRIES 31.0
    (-0.3%)
    ROSSELL INDIA 452.8
    (-3.8%)
    SABOO SODIUM 19.3
    (-0.4%)
    SAMPRE NUTRITIONS 72.5
    (1.9%)
    SAPPHIRE FOODS INDIA 1,424.2
    (5.2%)
    SAPTARISHI A 22.5
    (-2.8%)
    SARVESHWAR FOODS 77.8
    (10.0%)
    SHAH FOODS 255.0
    (0.0%)
    SHEEL INTERN. 13.5
    (0.0%)
    SHEETAL COOL PRODUCTS 417.8
    (0.0%)
    SILVER OAK 61.4
    (5.0%)
    SIMRAN FARMS 138.0
    (1.7%)
    SKM EGG PRODUCTS 295.7
    (-0.1%)
    SOM DISTILLERIES 317.8
    (-0.5%)
    SPECTRUM FOODS 30.1
    (-1.3%)
    SRIVARI SPICES 314.0
    (0.5%)
    SUMUKA AGRO 160.5
    (-0.9%)
    SUPER BAKERS 29.5
    (-1.7%)
    SUPERIOR INDUS. 46.2
    (2.6%)
    SURAJ INDUSTRIES 83.9
    (0.3%)
    SUVIDHA INFRA. 22.5
    (4.4%)
    SWOJAS ENERGY FOODS 13.3
    (2.0%)
    TANVI FOODS (INDIA) 213.7
    (0.8%)
    TATA COFFEE 344.8
    (3.6%)
    TERAI TEA CO 90.1
    (-2.7%)
    THE INDIAN WOOD PRODUCTS COMPANY 31.3
    (0.8%)
    TILAKNAGAR IND. 237.0
    (2.6%)
    TIRUPATI STARCH 166.6
    (-3.1%)
    TRANSGLOBE FOOD 127.2
    (3.0%)
    UMANG DAIRIES 96.0
    (-0.8%)
    UNITED BREWERIES 2,039.0
    (0.1%)
    UNITED SPIRITS 1,176.0
    (-0.4%)
    VADILAL INDUSTRIES 4,507.5
    (4.0%)
    VENKYS 1,798.8
    (0.9%)
    VST INDUSTRIES 4,025.2
    (-0.9%)
    WARREN TEA 48.9
    (3.0%)
    WESTLIFE FOODWORLD 845.2
    (-1.7%)
    WINSOME BREW 27.9
    (5.0%)
    ZYDUS WELLNESS 1,668.3
    (1.4%)

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