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Microlesson · 5-min read

Valuation of Material Purchased (Cost of Material)

# Valuation of Material Purchased

To compute the cost of material that will be charged to production, we start from the supplier's purchase price and adjust for discounts, taxes, other expenditure and abnormal items.

## The Standard Format

ParticularsAmount (₹)
Purchase price of the materialxxx
Less: Discounts
  Trade discount(xx)
  Quantity discount(xx)
  Grant / subsidy from anyone(xx)
  Cash discount (or any finance charge — excluded)(xx)
Add: Taxes
  Road Tax / Toll Tax paid by buyerxx
  GST on input if ITC not allowedxx
  Customs / Import Dutyxx
Penalties (Demurrage / Detention / Fine)NOT included (abnormal cost)
Add: Other Expenditure
  Insurance / commissionxx
  Freight inwardsxx
  Cost of container (see container topic)xx
Less: Abnormal loss(xx)
COST OF MATERIALxxx

## Key Principles

### 1. Discounts → Deduct

All trade discounts, quantity discounts and subsidies/grants are deducted because they reduce the actual outflow. Cash discount is a finance item, and any finance/interest cost is also excluded from material cost.

### 2. Taxes → Include only if not recoverable

  • Toll tax, road tax paid by buyer → Add (non-recoverable)
  • GST input — Add only if Input Tax Credit (ITC) is NOT available. If ITC is available, GST does not form part of cost
  • Customs / Import Duty → Add

### 3. Penalties → Ignore Completely

Demurrage, detention, fines are abnormal costs — they neither increase nor decrease material cost. Don't add them, don't deduct them — exclude entirely from costing and route to Costing P&L.

### 4. Other Direct Expenses → Add

Freight inwards, insurance in transit, commission to buying agent, refundable portion of container cost — all are added because they are necessary to bring material to its present location and condition.

### 5. Abnormal Loss → Subtract

Abnormal loss (theft, fire, flood) is removed from material cost and charged to Costing P&L separately.

## Freight Apportionment for Two Materials

If a problem gives two or more types of material with a common freight, apportion freight on the basis of weight of materials.

Worked example

### Example 1

Example: Compute the cost of material from the following:

  • Listed purchase price: ₹1,00,000
  • Trade discount: 10%
  • Quantity discount: ₹2,000
  • Cash discount: 2%
  • GST input @ 18% (ITC available)
  • Toll tax paid: ₹500
  • Freight inwards: ₹1,500
  • Demurrage charges: ₹800
  • Abnormal loss in transit: ₹1,200

Solution:

Particulars
Purchase price1,00,000
Less: Trade discount (10%)(10,000)
Less: Quantity discount(2,000)
Less: Cash discount — finance itemNIL (already excluded)
Add: GST (ITC available)NIL
Add: Toll tax500
Add: Freight inwards1,500
Demurrage (penalty)NIL — ignored
Less: Abnormal loss(1,200)
Cost of Material88,800

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating cash discount like trade discount and deducting from material cost. Cash discount is a finance item — already excluded from costing entirely.
  • Adding GST input even when ITC is available — only non-recoverable taxes form part of material cost.
  • Adding demurrage or detention as 'transport cost'. These are penalties/abnormal costs and are completely excluded.
  • Forgetting to subtract abnormal loss — its value goes to P&L, not to remaining good units.
Reference:
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