Holding

The appellants are traders, not producers, and are liable to collect and pay market fee on cashew kernel sales under Section 65(2‑A)(iii).

Summary

The appellants purchased raw cashew nuts, a notified agricultural produce under the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966, and processed them into cashew kernels, also a notified produce. While they paid market fee on the purchase of cashew nuts, the Market Committee directed them to collect and remit market fee on the sale of cashew kernels, asserting they were traders. The appellants claimed they were "producers" of cashew kernels and thus exempt from the fee and from needing a licence. The Supreme Court examined the definitions of "producer" and "trader" in the Act, noting that exemptions apply only to those who produce the main agricultural produce, whereas a person who processes a purchased produce remains a trader. Consequently, the Court held the appellants to be traders (and importers) liable under Section 65(2‑A)(iii) to collect and pay the market fee. The appeals were dismissed.

Issues considered

The appellants' status under the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966: whether they are "producers" of cashew kernel or "traders".
Whether the Market Committee can require the appellants to collect market fee from buyers of cashew kernel under Section 65(2‑A).

Subjects

producertradermarket feeKarnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing Actcashew kernelnotified agricultural produceSection 65(2-A)importerprocessingmanufacturing

Judgment

G. GRIDHAR PRABHU AND ORS. A
v.
•• AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKET COMMITTEE

MARCH 2, 2001

[V.N.KHAREANDS.N.VARIAVA,JJ.] B

Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 :
Section 65(2-A)(iii).

Agricultural Produce-Market fee-Levy of-Trader pun:hased raw
cashew nuts and after processing the same extracted cashew kernel-Both were
c
notified agricultural produces and market fee was payable on each-But
trader paid market fee on cashew nuts only-Market Committee directed truder
to collect market fee on cashew kernel also from his buyers-Validity of-Held,
only a producer who produces the main agricultural produce is exempted.from
paying the market fee-A person who processes or manufactures a different D
notified agricultural produce from the main agricultural produce is a trader
and not a producei~Hence, such a trader liable to pay market fee.

Wonis and Phrases :

"Producer"-Meaning of-In the context of S. 2(34) of the Karna/aka E
Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966.

"Trader"-Meaning of-Jn the context of S. 2(48) of the Karnataka
Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966.

The Appellants purchased raw cashew nuts and after subjecting the F
same to the process of manufacture extracted cashed kernel. Both cashew
nut and cashew kernel were notified agricultural produces under the Scbed·
ule to the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act,
1966. The appellants bad been paying market fee on the purchase of
cashew nuts as per the provisions of Section 65(2-A) of the Act. G
The Market Committee issued notices to the appellants directing
them to collect market fee from their buyers and pay the same to the
Committee in respect of the transactions of sales of cashew kernel. These
notices were issued under the provisions of Section 65(2-A) ·of the Act. The
High Court dismissed the writ petition for a declaration that the appellants H
329
" . L

330 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2001] 2 S.C.R.
A were "producers" of cashew kernel and, therefore, were not liable to
collect the market fee from their purchasers and pay the same to the
.j.
Committee. Hence these appeals.

Dismissing the appeals, the Court

B HELD : 1. The appellants are traders when they purchase cashew
nut, which is a notified agricultural produce. In such purchase transaction
the appellants are also importers. As such traders and importers, the
appellants have obtained a licence and are paying market fee. [335-E-F]

c 2.1. As can he seen from the Preamble, the Karnataka Agricultural
Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 is to provide for better regula-
tion of marketing of agricultural produce. In the Act certain exemptions
have been given to the producer which exemptions have not been given
either to the importer or an exporter or a trader. These exemptions,
therefore, have been given to the producer because the producer is the
D person who produces the main agricultural produce. The main agricul-
tural produce, which may he a notified agricultural produce, could then be
converted into various other notified agricultural produce/s hy subjecting
the same to a process or manufacture. The person who so processes or
manufactures a different notified agricultural produce would not be a
E producer. An importer imports or causes goods to be imported into the
market area for the purpose of selling, processing, manufacturing or for
any other purpose, except for one's own domestic consumption. Thus, it is
clear that a persoD who imports wonld not he a producer. The import
would he for the purpose of selling or processing or manufacturing or for
F any other purpose except for one's own domestic consumption. Similarly,

-
the term "exporter" makes it clear that an exporter is not a producer. A
trader also is a person who buys notified agricultural produce for the
purpose of selling or processing or manufacturing or for any other pur-
pose except for the purpose of domestic consumption. The definition of the
term ''trader" is not a restrictive definition. It is not restricted to a person
G who only buys. If a person buys for domestic or personal consumption,
then he would not be a trader. It is only when a person buys for the
purpose of selling or processing or manufacturing that he would become a
trader. Thus a person may buy, process or manufacture and then sell. ,..,
When he processes or manufactures notified agricultural produce, which
H he had brought, it may change its character and become another notified
G. GRIDHAR PRABHU v. AGRICULTURALPROCUDE MARKET COMMITTEE [S.N. VARIAVA, J.] 331
agricultural produce. Merely because a distinct and separate notified agri- A
~
cultural produce comes into existence does not mean that the person who
bought, processed and sold ceases to be a trader. The term "trader''
encumbrances not just the purchase transaction but the entire transaction
of purchase, processing manufacturing and selling. [338-C-H]

Vijayalaxmi Cashew Co. v. Dy. Commercial Tax Officer, [1996] 1 SCC B
468; Sita Devi v. State ofBihar, [1995] Supp. 1 SCC 670; State of Tamil Nadu
v. Nellai Cotton Mills Ltd., [1990] 2 SCC 515; C!Tv. N.C. Budharaja & Co.,
(1993) 204 ITR 413 and Himachal Pradesh Marketing Board v. Shankar
Trading Co. Pvt. Ltd., [1997] 2 SCC 496, referred to.

2.2. As is clear, that the appellants are traders, they squarely fall c
within Section 65(2-A)(iii). In fact, they may also fall within Section 65(2-
A)(la). As they fall within these two classes there is no question of the
residuary clause applying. [339-F]
~
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal Nos. 3982-3984/
D
1999.

From the Judgment and Order dated 2.4.1998 of the High Court of
Karnataka at Bangalore in Writ Appeal Nos. 9965, 9966 and 9985/96.

G. Sarangan, Joseph Vellapally, Dhruv Mehta, Ms. Shobha, S. Ghosh,
S.K. Mehta, B.G. Sridharan, G.V. Chandrasekhar and P.P. Singh for the E
appearing parties.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

S.N. VARIAVA, J. These Appeals are against a Judgment dated 2nd
April, 1998. F
Briefly stated the facts are as follows:
. ... The Appellants purchase raw cashew nut and after subjecting the same
to process of manufacture extract cashew kernel. The cashew kernel is then
sold by them all over India as well as in International markets. Both c~shew
G
nut and cashew kernel are Notified Agticultural Produce under the Schedule
to the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966
(hereinafter called the said Act). The Appellants have licences under the said
Act as Importers, Traders, Exporters and Producers from the Market Com-
mittee. The Appellants are paying market fee as per the provisions of Section
65(2A) when they purchase cashew nnt. H

/
332 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2001] 2 S.C.R.

A The Market Committee issued Notices to the Appellants directing them
to collect market fee from their buyers and pay the same to the Connnittee
in respect of transactions of sales of cashew kernel. These Notices were issued
under the provisions of Section 65(2A)(iii) of the said Act.

The Appellants filed a Writ Petition in the High Court of Kerala praying
B for declaration that they were "Producers" of cashew kernel and, therefore,
were not liable to collect the market fee from their purchasers and pay the
same to the Committee. They also sought a declaration that as producers of
cashew kernel they did not even require a license. The Appellants sought
directions from the Court to quash the Notices issued by the Market Com-
c mittee and to re~train the Market Committee from recovering market fee from
them. This Writ Petition came to be dismissed by a single Judge of the High
Court on 21st August, 1996. The Appellants then filed a Writ Appeal which
also came to be dismissed by the impugned Judgment dated 2nd April, 1998.

The controversy in these Appeals is very limited. There is no dispute
D that the Appellants are purchasing cashew nut and by a process of manufac-
ture extracting cashew kernel. There is no controversy and no dispute that
on the purchase transactions the Appellants are paying market fee. There is
also no dispute that on the sale transactions, of cashew kernel, market fee is
payable. The only dispute is whether the Market Committee can insist that
the Appellants realize the market fee from their purchasers and pay it to the
E
Market Committee or whether the Market Committee has to collect the market
fee directly from the purchasers of cashew kernel.

For an understanding of this question certain provisions of the said Act
require to be looked at. The Preamble to the said Act lays down that it is
F an Act to provide for the better regulation of marketing of agricultural
produce and the establishment and administration of markets for agricultural
produce in the State of Kamataka. Section 2(1) of the said Act defines
"Agricultural Produce" as follows:

"2(1). "Agricultural Produce" means the produce or goods specified
G in the Schedule."

It is an admitted position that iuitially under Item 8 of the Schedule
only cashew nut was included as an Item. Market fee was sought to be levied
on cashew kernel. The Mangalore Cashew Manufacturing Association chal-
lenged this levy in the High Court of Kerala. The High Court held tliat cashew
H
G. GRIDHAR PRABHU v. AGRJCULTURALPROCUDEMARKET COMMITTEE [S.N. VARlAVA, J,) 333
kernel was not included in the Schedule to the said Act a.'ld it was thus not A
a Notified Agricultural Produce. Pursuant to this decision the State Govern-
•· ment issued a Notification under Section 5 read with Section 3 of the Act
and included cashew kernel also in the Schedule. Thus, now both cashew nut
and cashew kernel are two separate items in the Schedule to the said Act.

Sections 2(5), 2(13), 2(14), 2(14A), 2(18A), 2(21), 2(28), 2(32), 2(33), B
2(34) and 2(48) of the said Act are relevant. They read as follows:

"2(5). "Buyer' or "purchaser' means a person who buys or
agrees to buy goods;

2(13). "Expand' means a person other than a producer who c
exports goods or causes goods to be exported on one's
own account or as agent of another person, from the
market area outside such area for the purpose of selling,
processing, manufacturing or for any other purpose except
for the purpose of one's O\\:'.n domestic consumption, but
D
shall not include a public carrier.

2(14). "Goods" means any kind of notified agricultural produce.

2(14A) "lmportef' means a person who imports or causes goods
to be imported on his own account or as an agent for
another person from outside the market area into a market
E
area for the purpose of selling, processing, manufacturing
or for any other pmpose except for one's own domestic
consumption, but shall not include a public carrier.

2(18A) "Marketing" means buying and selling of agricultural
F
produce and includes grading, processing, storage, trans-
port, packaging, market information and channels of dis-
tribution.

2(21). "Market functionary" or "functionary" includes a broker.
a commission agent, an exporter, a ginner, an importer, a G
presser, a processor, a stockist, a trader, and such other
person as may be declared under the rules or the bye-laws
to be a market functionary.

2(28). "Notified agricultural produce" means any agricultural
produce which the State Government has by notification H
334 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2001] 2 S.C.R.
A issued under Sections 4 and 5 declared as an agricultural
produce the marketing of which shall be regulated in the
market area.

2(32). "Process" means any one of the series of treatments to
which raw agricultural produce is subjected to make it fit
B to use or consumption.

2(33). "Pmcessor' means a person who processes notified agri-
cultural produce by mechanical means.

2(34) "Pmducd' means a person who produces notified ag1i-
c cultural produce on one's own account.-

(i) by one's own labour; or

(ii) by the Jabour of any member of one's family; or

D (iii) under the personal supervision of oneself or any member
of one's family by hired labour or by servants on wages
payable in cash or kind but not in share of the produce.

2(48). "Trader' means a person who buys notified agricultural
produce either for himself or as agent of one or more
E persons for the purpose of selling, processing, manufactur-
ing or for any other purpose, except for the purpose of
domestic consumption."

The levy is under Section 65(1) of the Act. The mode of collection is
p provided under Section 65(2-A) of the said Act. It reads as follows:

"65(2-A). The market fee payable under this section shall be realised
as follows, namely.-

(i) if the produce is sold tluough a commission agent, the
G commission agent shall realise the market fee from the
purchaser and shall be liable to pay the same to the
committee;

(ia) if the produce is sold by an importer to the purchaser, the
importer shall realise the market fee from the purchaser
H and shall be liable to pay the same to the committee;
G. GRIDHAR PRAEHU v. AGRICULTURALPROCUDEMARKET COMMITTEE {S.N. VARIAVA, J.] 335
(ii) if the produce is pm·chased directly by a trader from a A
producer, the trader shall be liable to pay the market fee
II to the committee;

(iii) if the produce is purchased by a trader from another trader,
the trader selling the produce shall realise it from the
purchaser and shall be liable to pay the market fee to the B
committee; and

(iv) in any other case of sale of such produce, the purchaser
T
shall be liable to pay the market fee to the committee."

The Market Committee called upon the Appellants to collect and pay the c
market fee on tl1e footing that the Appellants are traders who were selling
the produce to other traders. The Appellants claim that they are producers

-
of cashew kernel and, therefore, sub-clause (ii) would apply. The Appellants
claim that if sub- clause (ii) does not apply then sub-clause (iv) would apply.
~ The question therefore is whether the Appellants are producers or whether D
they are traders.

As is seen from the definition under Section 2(48) a trader is any
person, who (a) buys Notified Agricultural Produce, (b) either for himself or
as agent of one or more persons, (c) for the pmpose of selling, processing,
manufacturing or any other purpose and (d) except for the pmpose of E
" domestic consmnption. There is no dispute that the Appellants are traders
when they purchase cashew nut, which is a Notified Agricultural Produce.
In such purchase transaction they are also importers. As such traders and
importers they have obtained a licence and are paying market fee. It is,
however, submitted that even though they may be trac!ers/importers in the F
purchase transactions, they are not traders or exporters when they sell cashew

... ~
kernel. It is submitted that they are Producers of cashew kernel. It is submitted
that in the Schedule lo tl1e said Act cashew nut and cashew kernel are shown
• as two separate and distinct commodities. It is submitted that U1e State
Goverr-1llent accepted the Judgment of the High Court of Kerala as con-eel
and implemented the Judgment by incorporating the term "cashew kernel" as G
a separate items in the Schedule. It is submitted that the Appellants are
Producers under Section 2(34) as lhe Appellants produce a Notified Agricul-
tural Produce, i.e. cashew kernel on their own account, under their persona[
supervision and by hired labour or servants on wages paid in cash. It is
submitted that they fall within the definition of the term "Producer" and are, H
336 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2001] 2 S.C.R.
A therefore, governed by sub-clause (ii) of Section 65(2-A). It is submitted that
in any event their sale of cashew kernel would not be a sale from a trader
to a trader. It is submitted that if sub-clause (ii) did not apply, they would
fall under sub-clause (iv) of Section 65(2-A).

Initially, Mr. Sarangan submitted that the tenn "Trader" under Section
B 2(48) can only refer to a person who buys. He initially submitted that the
tenn "Trader" cannot apply to a person who sells a Notified Agriculture
Produce. However to be noted that under the definition mere buying was not
enough. The. buying had to be for the purpose of selling or processing or
manufacturing or for any o!her purpose. The buying had to be for a purpose
c other than domestic consumption. When this was pointed out to him the
answer sought to be given was that if a person bought and sold the same
Notified Agricultural Produce, then he may be a trader, but if he bought one
Notifi.ed Agricultural Produce and sold another Notified Agricultural Produce,
then in the sale transaction he would not be a trader. It was submitted that
cashew nut and cashew kernel were two separate and distinct Notified
D Agric~ltural Produce. It was submitted that the Appellants bought cashew nut.
It was submitted that they produced cashew kernel and were only selling
cashew kernel. It was submitted that as they were not selling the Notified
Agricultural Produce which had been bought they could not be termed as a
"Trader".
E
In support of the submission that cashew nut and cashew kernel are two
separate and distinct commodities, reliance was placed upon the case of
Vijayalaxmi Cashew Company v. Dy. Commercial Tax Officer, reported in
[1996] 1 SCC 468. In this case, the Appellant therein was purchasing cashew
nut, extracting cashew kernel and exporting cashew kernel to foreign coun-
F tiies. The question was whether they were liable to sales tax under Section
5(3) of the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956. This Court negatived an argument
that the purchase was of the same goods which were exported. This Court
held that cashew nut and cashew kernel were two separate and distinct
commodities.
G Reliance was also placed upon the case of Sita Devi v. State of Bihar,
reported in [1995] Supp. 1 SCC 670. In this case the question was whether
cattle could be termed as Agricultural Produce. This Court held that even
though in common parlance cattle may not be considered to be an agricultural
produce but as it had been included in the Schedule, under "Animal Hus-
H bandry", for the purposes of this Act it became an agricultural produce. 'This
G. GRIDHARPRABHU v. AGRiCULTURALPROCUDE MARKET COMMITTEE [S.N. VARIAVA, J.] 337
Court held that, therefore, market fee could be levied on cattle bought and A
sold in an market area. Relying on this authority it was submitted that to
ascertain what was an agricultural produce one had to look to the items
specified in the Schedule to the Act. It was submitted that if two separate
items were specified in the Schedule to the Act, then those two had to be
treated as two separate and distinct items. However, it may be noted that this
B
case also lays down that if an item, after it is taxed, is subjected to a process
and changes its fmm, tl1en it can again be subjected to market fee in the
different form. The exampl~s given in this case are that even though market
fee is levied on cattle, subsequently milk, Ghee, butter which are obtained
from the cattle could also be exigible to levy of market fee. This case,
therefore, shows that by means of a process the very nature of the item may c
change.

Reliance was also placed upon the case of Staie of Tamil Nadu v. Nellai
Cotton Mills Ltd., reported in [1990] 2 SCC 518. In this case it has been held
tliat when an Act .bas been judicially interpreted, Courts may study tl1e
subsequent action or inaction of the legislature for clues as to legislative D
approval or disapproval of judicial interpretation. It has been held that if the
legislature by taking note of the Judgment amends the statute appropriately
by not giving any different meaning fr~m the view taken by the Court, with
some justification, it can be said tliat the legislature had accepted expressly
or by implication the judicial interpretation. It was submitted that by amend- E
ing the Schedule to include cashew kernel the State Government had accepted
tl1e fact that cashew nut and cashew kernel were two separate and distinct
conunodities and now they would be precluded from contending that these
were not two separate and distinct commodities.

Reliance was next placed upon the case of Commissioner of Income Tax F
v. N.C. Budharaja & Co., reported in (1993) 204 !TR 413. It was submitted
that the word "production" has a wider connotation tl1an the word "manu-
facture". In this case it is held that every manufacture would be characterised
as production but every production would not amount to manufacture. It is
held that when the word "production" or "produce" are used in juxtaposition G
with the word "matrnfacture", they may bringing into existence new goods
by a process which may or may not amount to manufacture. It is held that
these words also take in all the by-products, intermediate products and
'"" residual products which emerge in the course of manufacture of goods.

Respondents do not dispute that cashew nut and cashew kernel are two H
338 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2001] 2 S.C.R.
A separate and distinct items/commodities. The Respondent's submission is that
the Appellants continue to be a trader even in the sale transaction as they had
bought/imported for purpose of processing and then selling. Respondents ~
contend that merely because, by a process or by manufacture, a different item
comes into being does not make the processor or manufacturer a Producer.
The contend that a "Producer" is one who produces the initial Notified
B
Agricultural Produce.

We are unable to agree with the submissions of Mr. Sarangan. As can
be seen from the Prearuble the Act is to provide for better regulation of
marketing of agricultural produce. In the Act certain exeipptions have been
C given to Producer which exemptions have not been given either to Importer
or an Exporter or a Trader. These exemptions, therefore, have been given to
Producer because the Producer is the person who produces the main agricul-
tural produce. The main agricultural produce, which may be a Notified
Agricultural Produce, could then be converted into various other Notified
Agricultural Produce/s by subjecting the sarue to a process or manufacture.
D The person who so processes or manufactures a different Notified Agricul-
tural Produce would not be a Producer. To be noted that an importer imports
ur causes goods to be imported into the market area for the purpose of selling,
processing, manufacturing or for any other purpose, except for one's own
domestic consumption. Thus, it is clear that a person, who imports would not
E be a Producer. The import would be for purpose of selling or processing or
manufacturing or for any other pmpose except for one's own domestic
consumption. Similarly, the lemi "Exporter" makes it clear that an exporter
is not a Producer. A trader is also is a person who buys Notified Agricultural
Produce for the purpose of selling or processing or manufacturing or for any
F other pmpose except for the purpose of domestic consmnption. The definition
of the term "Trader" is not a restrictive definition. It is not restricted to a
person who only buys. If a person buys for domestic or personal consump-
tion, then he would not be a trader. It is only when a person buys for the
purpose of selling or processing or manufacturing that he would become a
trader. Thus a person may buy, process or manufacture and then sdl. When
G he processes or manufactures Notified Agricultural Produce which he had
bought, it may change its character and become another Notified Ag1icultural
Produce. Thus, by way of exaruples, a person may buy milk and through
processes makes it into butter and/or cheese or a person may buy hides and
skins and by a process make it into leather. However, merely because a
H distinct and separate Notified Agricultural Produce comes into existence does
G. GRIDHAR PRABHU v. AGRICULTURALPROCUDE MARKET COMMITTEE [S.N. VARIAVA, J.) 339
not mean that the person who bought, processed and sold ceases to be a A
• Trader. The term "Trader" encumbrances not just the purchase transaction but
the entire transaction of purchase, processing, manufacturing and selling.

In this behalf the case of Himachal Pradesh Marketing Board v.
Shankar Trading Co. Pvt. lld., reported in [1997) 2 SCC 496, is relevant.
Under the Himacha! Pradesh Agricultmal Produce Markets Act, 1969, Ii- B
cences were required to be taken for purchase, sale, storage or processing of
agricultural produce and market fee was also payable. Producers or growers
however, did not require a licence and did not have to pay market fees. The
Respondent Company (therein) was producing "katha", a specified agricul-
tural produce. They did this by processing Khairwood. They claimed (like C
the Appellants in this case) that as producers they did not need a licence and
market fees were not payable by them. This Court negatived this contention
by holding that a person producing a specified agricultural produce by
processing a natural product does not fulfil the requirement of being producer/
grower. It was held that the clause of the Act made it clear that only the actual
grower/producer of the natural agricultural produce were to be befitted. Of D
course the definition of the terms in that Act are different. However, in our
view the basic principle is the same. It applies to this case also.

We also see no substa.'lce in the submission that if Section 65(2-A)(ii)
did not apply, then Section 65(2-A)(iv) would apply. Section 65(2-A)(iv) is E
residuary clause. It would only apply if none of the other clauses applies. As
it is clear that the Appellants are Traders they squarely fall within Section
65(2-A)(iii). In fact, they may also fall within Section 65(2- A)(ia). As they
fall within these two clauses there is no question of the residuary clause
applying.
F
Under these circumstances, we see no infiimity in the Judgment of the
High Court. We see no reason to interfere. The Appeals stand disinissed.
There will, however, be no Order as to costs.

V.S.S. Appeals dismissed.
G