Indo-China trade through Shipkila to be held this year

Anand Bodh

June 29, 2016

SHIMLA: Having registered record turnover of Rs 9.72 crore last year which was highest since trade resumed in 1994, cross border trade between India and China would take place this year too with formal announcement made for the period of June 1 to November 30 and this year too good business between two sides is expected despite ban on the import of Chamurthi horses and Chigu goats from China through Shipkila pass.

According to officials from Kinnaur district administration last year trade was all time high with 55 traders from Kinnaur participating in the cross border trade. They said this time too good trade is expected with good participation of traders. Some of the traders are demanding to provide the facility of checking documents at Shipkila instead of Sumdo.

The items allowed for export through Shipkila includes Agricultural Implements, Blankets, Textiles, Copper Products, Clothes, Cycles, Coffee, Tea, Barley, Rice, Flour, Dry Fruit, Dry and Fresh Vegetables, Vegetable oil, Gur and Misri, Tobacco Snuff, Cigarettes, Canned food, Agro-chemical Local Herbs, Dyes, Spices Watches, Shoes, Kerosene oil, Stationery, Utensils and Wheat.

While list of goods allowed to be imported from China to India includes raw silk, China clay, Wood, Utensils, Textiles (mostly readymade garments) and shoes. The border post is usually opened for international trade in September and closed for winter by the end of November.

In 2012, goods worth Rs 90 lakhs were exported by the 45 Indian traders while from Tibet’s side, goods worth Rs 62 lakhs were imported into India.

Kinnaur MLA and Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi said that last year was good for the cross border trade as trade touched revenue of around Rs 10 crore. He said that traders from India had exported goods worth Rs 5.36 crore while goods to the value of Rs 4.36 crore were imported. He said in 2014, trade turnover was Rs 7.32 crore. “Growth of 22% registered last year was good sign for India-China and hope this year it touches a new high,’ he added.

In past, Shipkila border was known for the trade of Chamurthi horses and Chigu goats which were the main attraction for traders from India but Customs Commissionerate in 2013 had informed Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner that import of livestock into India is governed by the Livestock Importation Act 1898 which restricts the imports of horses and other equidae through only four international airports at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Since then not even a single horse or goat was traded through this route as in absence of quarantine station no animal could be imported from China.