Rs 4.36 cr border trade through Lipulekh pass

BD Kasniyal

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Pithoragarh, November 2

Border trade worth Rs 4.36 crore was solemnized with China from Lipulekh pass this year. The Indian traders who had gone to trade with China on barter basis arrived in the Indian territory from Taklakot mart in Tibet today.

“According to the initial data, the total border trade with China from Lipulekh pass, situated in Uttarakhand, this year, was worth Rs 4,36,54,187, out of which Indian traders exported goods worth Rs 1,60,42,132 and imported goods worth Rs 2,76,12,055 from Tibet,” said PS Kutiyal, trade officer at Gunji, the Indian mart of the trade.

Kutiyal said over 190 persons, including 77 traders, had gone to Tibet for the trade this year. The Government of India had issued a total of 400 trade passes.

The Indian traders said due to the dull response from Tibetan clients initially, the trade could not pick up this year. By the time clients started pouring in from the month of October, the time of the trade was over.

The Indo-Tibet border trade from Lipulekh pass commences very year from 17,500 feet high Lipulekh pass since 1992, through which the tribal traders from India obtain Tibetan wool in exchange of jaggery, sugar candy and tobacco.