Export profit : S. 80HHC of Income-tax Act, 1961 : In computing the amount deductible u/s.80HHC(3)(b) freight and insurance is not to be included in the direct cost.

[CIT v. King Metal Works (Bom.); ITA(L) No. 801 of 2010,
dated 7-7-2010]

In this case, the following question was raised before the
Bombay High Court :

“Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case
and in law, the Tribunal has erred in holding that while computing direct cost
attributable to export, the freight and insurance amounting to Rs.1,71,87,614
should be excluded for arriving at export profits while computing the
deduction u/s.80HHC ?”

The High Court answered the question in favour of the
assessee and held as under :

“(i) U/s.80HHC(3)(b), the export turnover has to be reduced
by the direct and indirect cost attributable to export in order to arrive at
profits derived from export.

(ii) While defining the expression ‘export turnover’, the
Parliament has evinced an intent to exclude freight and insurance attributable
to the transport of goods or merchandise beyond the customs station. Such
freight and insurance has to be excluded from the sale proceeds received in
India by the assessee in convertible foreign exchange. The object of the
exclusion of freight and insurance is to ensure that the benefit of the
deduction u/s.80HHC is confined to profits derived from export.

(iii) The case of the Revenue is that though freight and
insurance is excluded from the export turnover as a result of Explanation (b)
to Ss.(4C) of the Section, freight and insurance must be treated as direct
cost and must then be deducted from the export turnover. According to the
Revenue, freight and insurance would be ‘cost directly attributable to the
trading goods exported out of India’ within the meaning of Explanation (d) to
Ss.(3).

(iv) In considering the tenability of the submission which
has been urged on behalf of the Revenue, it has to be noted that for the
purposes of the formula in clause (b) of Ss.(3), the export turnover has to be
reduced by direct and indirect cost attributable to export. Freight and
insurance is expressly to be excluded from the sale proceeds received by the
assessee, in computing the export turnover. Freight and insurance cannot be
regarded as costs directly attributable to the trading goods within the
meaning of clause (b) of Explanation to Ss.(3).

(v) As a matter of fact, freight and insurance attributable
to the transport of goods or merchandise beyond the customs station is already
excluded from the sale proceeds in computing the export turnover. Such freight
and insurance cannot be regarded as part of the direct costs attributable to the
trading goods. To do so, would result in a situation where freight and insurance
attributable to the transport of the goods beyond the customs station, which has
already been reduced from the sale proceeds received by the assessee, would, in
addition, be added back as a part of the direct cost incurred by the assessee.
The language of the Section, in our view, does not warrant such a conclusion.”