India-China trade to pick up before Lavi fair

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 17

Notwithstanding early onset of winter, spurt in India-China trade across Shipkila Pass is expected within the next fortnight as traders are stocking up Tibetan carpets, bone china crockery and Pashmina wool to be sold at International Lavi fair in Rampur, beginning on November 11.

So far, a total of 37 traders have made 136 trips into Tibet for the trade undertaken between the two neighbours on barter system. The trade is carried out every year between June 30 and November 30 and the traders, belonging to the border villages in Kinnaur, can make multiple trips into China.

Sources said that this year a total of 75 traders had applied and permits had been issued to 57 traders. Last year, a total of 96 trade passes were issued and 72 traders from Kinnaur crossed over into Tibet for trade.

“The trade as of now is a little sluggish primarily due to the involvement of the traders in apple season,” said Hishey Negi, president of the Kinnaur Indo-China Trade Association. He, however, said that the traders had been stocking goods like raw pashmina wool, Tibetan carpets and bone china crockery as all these are in great demand during the Lavi fair at Pooh in Kinnaur and later at Rampur international fair.

There is ban on sale of livestock, which is in huge demand on the Indian side. Despite the state government requesting the Ministry of Commerce to lift ban on livestock trading, the Centre has yet to yield to the plea. The traders have been demanding setting up of a quarantine laboratory at Chupan and Namgiya to pave way for resumption of livestock trade like chiku goats, horses and mules.

Trade is being undertaken across the 18,599 feet high Shipki La Pass between the two countries since 1992. A total of 36 items figure on the export list while 20 goods are there in the import list. A dozen new items, including Chinese handicrafts, carpets and herbal medicines, were included in the trade list in 2012 to increase the quantum of trade.

The Doklam standoff had cast its shadow on the India-China trade which witnessed a drastic decline from Rs 8.59 crore in 2016 to a mere Rs 59.21 lakh in 2017. Traders point out that is there are now better facilities like pre-fabricated huts, better roads and electricity facility could help increase the volume of trade.