Indo-Tibet barter trade in rough weather

Annual Indo-Tibet barter trade has literally run into rough weather this season in the wake of no permission from China.

The trade, which was to begin in June this year, could not take place, first due to the Beijing Olympics, and later because the Chinese government did not give permission to the traders for travelling to Taklakot Mart in Tibet from the Lipulekh Pass in the hilly Pithoragarh district, official sources said on Wednesday.

However, a group of enthusiastic traders has left for Taklakot this week, despite rough weather conditions. But the Pithoragarh district authorities are doubtful whether the traders, who are camping at Gunji, would be able to reach Taklakot.

“Due to bad weather conditions and heavy snowfall, we are doubtful whether these traders would be able to reach Tibetor not,” said Indian Trade Officer Navneet Pandey.

This will be the first time in two decades that trade at Taklakot may not take place at all. In August also, a group of businessmen and porters were turned back from Taklakot by the Chinese authorities citing internal security problems.

This season, 60 trade passes were issued. Traders trek from Pithoragarh, crossing inhospitable terrains to reach Taklakot, the trade mart in Tibet where the two sides indulge in barter trade.

The volume of the barter trade has been hovering at Rs 1 to 2 crore during the past two to three years. Indian Traders are peeved at the Centre for not launching enough efforts to boost the trade, and also for imposing a ban on the import of some trade items like Chinese raw silk and livestock, which are in great demand in India.

The traders have been demanding revocation of the ban. The demand for Chinese silk has been growing in India. But the Centre thinks that its import would affect the local trade.

The import of livestock has been banned since no quarantine facility is available at Gunji, the Indian mart at Pithoragarh.

Through the barter trade with their Chinese and Tibetan counterparts, Indian traders exchange goods like jaggery, wool, spices and blankets among other things.

The Indo-Tibet barter trade, which was resumed in 1992 after a gap of 30 years following the 1962 war, reached Rs 14 crore mark in the year 2004.

But after the ban of certain items like livestock and Chinese silk, the volume of trade is gradually falling, touching as low as Rs 1.5 crore last year.