Levy and collection of fee

(1) Subject to the rules made under this Act, there shall be levied for the purpose of this Act, a fee on ad valorem basis, at the rate of Rs. 3 for every one hundred rupees, in respect of the agricultural produce, bought or sold in the notified market area. (2) The fee levied under sub-section (1) shall be paid by the dealer in such manner as may be prescribed and shall be realised by a market committee established under the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 (Punjab Act 23 of 1961): Provided that the burden of the fee shall be passed on by the dealer by adding it to the purchase price recoverable by him from the next purchaser of the agricultural produce or the goods processed or manufactured out of it. (2-A) If any dealer fails to pay the amount of the fee levied under sub-section (1), he shall, in addition to the amount of fee be liable to pay interest on the amount of fee due from him at the rate of eighteen percentum per annum from the date of default. (3) The arrears of fee levied under sub-section (1) shall be recoverable as arrears of land revenue.