Nathu La border trade-V from May 3

No revision of trade items, traders optimistic of good season


GANGTOK, April 19: The fifth season of the Nathu La border trade between Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is scheduled to commence from May 3 till November 30 for this year.

An IPR release informs that the trade beginning from May 3 will remain open four days a week-Monday to Thursday-from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm as per Indian time and from 10 am to 6 pm as per Chinese time.

The release further informs that there has been no change in the trade items and the present list remains same ie 29 exportable items from India to TAR and 15 items from TAR to India through the Nathu La border trade.

As per the IPR release, the traders from Sikkim exported items worth Rs. 135 lakhs while the TAR traders could export items worth Rs. 2.96 lakhs only during the last season.

Since the term border trade is to be construed that the trade is opened for the people of the border area only for the items produced in local area of limited value, the Government of India has fixed the currency value limited to Rs 1 lakh per day per trader from 2007-08, it is informed.

The State Commerce & Industries department has also advised the DC (East) to issue the trade passes at the earliest to enable the traders to prepare for the border trade.

Till today, a total of 135 local traders have already applied for trade passes to the East District Administration.

Meanwhile, local traders here have expressed their hopes of a good trading season despite non-fulfillment of the demand for revision of trade items.
“Though the list of items have remained same, the trade volume over the years have increased along with the number of traders participating in the border trade”, said local trader Anil Kumar Gupta. He added that the traders are expecting export business more than Rs. 2 crores this season.

At the same time, traders here have reiterated their demand for the revision of the trade items so that traders from both sides could benefit.
Along with the State government, both Sikkimese and TAR traders have been demanding the Centre to revise the list by including more feasible and marketable commodities.

As per the bilateral agreement, there are 29 exportable items like tea, spices and biscuits which are allowed to be exported to TAR by the Sikkim traders while there are only 15 items like wool, goat skins and sheep skins which can be imported from TAR to India through the Nathu La border trade.

The State government and traders of Sikkim and TAR had been contending that these items especially those allowed to be imported from TAR are obsolete and have no market value. The State government had been repeatedly demanded for inclusion of local products of Sikkim like handicrafts and cash crops for the border trade.
It may be recalled that Lok Sabha member from Sikkim, PD Rai had told reporters on Saturday before leaving for New Delhi that the State government has been pressing ahead with the Centre for expansion of trade items for the Nathu La border trade. He informed that he will be taking up the matter with the concerned Ministry in the Centre.

“The demand is under advanced stage of consideration and we are hoping that something positive will come out”, Rai had said. He also expressed his hopes that at least some amendments in the present list of items will be taken up.
However, traders here were of the view that revision of trade items could take place after the border trade infrastructure is completed in the Indian side.
Presently, the Border Road Organization (BRO) is widening the 51 kms Jawaharlal Nehru Marg connecting Gangtok with the Nathu La border. The Jawaharlal Nehru Marg double laning project had started from 2007 and is estimated to cost around Rs. 780 crores.

Sikkim Chamber of Commerce (SCC) president SK Sarda said that whenever the Centre is approached over the demand, the officials inform that the file is in process.
Sarda said that while the SCC remains hopeful for revision of the trade items soon, traders would be benefiting more from the next season when the Nathu La border trade completes five years. As per the bilateral agreement, the border trade is supposed to be declared as an international trade which means import and export of more items can be done after paying custom duty like in Mumbai and Kolkata ports, he said.