Exports to Bangla, Nepal & Bhutan come to a halt

Pramod Giri, HT, 19 Nov 2016, SILIGURI: Exports to countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal through the Siliguri corridor have come to a grinding halt, thanks to the Centre’s demonetisation drive.

Hundreds of truckers are stranded along the border in this route. Siliguri, which has four international land ports nearby, is a corridor for bilateral and trilateral trade with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Uttam Poddar, vice-president of North Bengal Exporters’ Association, said, “Demonetisation has fully affected export as traders are not in a position to pay the truckers and drivers in cash.”

Though the payment from importers and to traders can be made through cheques, dollars or bank transfers, the bottleneck is the non-availability of cash required to be paid to the truckers and drivers. Hundreds of drivers, who have already reached the international borders, are facing hardship as they have run short of cash and the traders are not able to pay them, said Poddar.

Asok Mondal, former secretary of Hill Merchants’ and Custom Clearing Agents’ Association, said, “The number of trucks entering Bangladesh carrying stone boulders, chips, rice and fruits from Hilli border in South Dinajpur district has come down to less than 50%.”

It has become very difficult for truck drivers to survive owing to the lack of notes of smaller denomination.

The truckers who hail from far-flung states are feeling the pinch. Hoteliers and lodges are not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and they do not have other means of payment.

Rajendra Kumar Baid, general secretary of Cooch Behar District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “The export to Bangladesh through Chengrabanda land port has completely come to a halt.”

Hundreds of trucks carrying dolomites, coal, potatoes and other vegetables are lying stranded as exporters are not able to pay the traders and agents in cash. Similarly, the export to Bhutan and Nepal is facing the same situation.

Siliguri, being the trade hub of the entire North Bengal, caters to the markets of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal in addition to Darjeeling, Sikkim and other parts of North Bengal.

Gopal Khoria, president of Siliguri Merchants’ Association described the demonetisation effect as “full-fledged.”