City to host South Asia trade expo from today

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 15

The city is all set to witness the state’s first South Asia Trade Fair and Consumer Expo from February 16 to 20 at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall here. The expo organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be the first of its kind as it will witness participation of over 70 exhibitors from six countries — Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran and Thailand, besides India.

RS Sachdeva, Chairman, Punjab Committee, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said besides consumer goods, the expo would also offer Pakistani cuisines and cultural programmes every evening.

“There is a dire need to increase Indian exports to South Asian countries which at present stands at a mere 15 per cent of the total Indian export. Such events will boost the bilateral trade relations, especially between India and Pakistan, and also among other South Asian countries,” he said.

Sachdeva said each trader had been provided with a swiping machine and Paytm facility so that consumers could make purchases without any hassle.

He said while an exhibition was held every year in Amritsar in association with the Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, this is the first time that more South Asian countries too were roped in.

Sachdeva added that the second edition of the expo would be held in Chandigarh in April this year.

South Asia — a populous region of two billion people — lags behind other parts of the world in regional trade. Economists compare the meagre five per cent of trade in this bloc to the more robust 25 per cent in the Association of South East Asian Nations.

The cross-border trade has been restricted between the region’s two biggest countries, India and Pakistan, due to their hostile ties.

A 2005 agreement to turn the region into a free trade zone has failed to yield substantive results. High tariffs remain an impediment.