Plea for increase in Nathu-la trade days .... Sikkim and Tibetan traders demand increase of trading days from the existing 4 days a week for a 7 month-long trading season

Rajiv Ravidas, TT, 30 November 2018: The traders of both Sikkim and the Tibetan Autonomous Region have demanded an increase in the number of trading days through Nathu-la to give a further boost to the border business.

This year’s seven month-long trading season came to an end on Wednesday. Trade through Nathu-la, which is located at a height of 14,200ft, takes place from May 1 to November 30 every year. In the seven-month window, goods are traded four days a week from Monday to Thursday.

N. Jaswant, the joint secretary of the Sikkim industries department, said the traders from TAR had demanded an increase in the number of trading days. “They have given us certain proposals, including increasing the number of trading days from the present four a week to the entire seven days of the week. They also pleaded that the trading months too be increased from the present seven months,” he said.

Jaswant said he had asked the Chinese traders to approach their government since this was international trade. “We on our part will forward their request to the Centre. If there is an understanding between both the sides, there could be an increase in the number of trading days,” he said.

Tenzing Tsepel, the secretary of the Indo-China Border Trade Association, echoed the demand of his TAR counterparts. “We support their demand. We also want the trading hours to be increased from the present two to three hours to at least five hours. In the little time we are allowed to spend on the other side of the border, we have to load and unload the goods on our own because there are no porters there. This leaves us with very little time to do our accounts,” he said.

According to government officials and traders, there has been a descent increase in the volume of trade this year. “Goods worth Rs 37.5 crore were exported through Nathu-la till October 31. Import during the same period was a little over Rs 27 lakh,” said Jaswant.

Tsepel said the trading this year had taken place under the new Goods and Services Tax regime. “Government officials have told us that they have collected about Rs 3 crore by way of inter-state GST, central GST and state GST from the Nathula trade. We as traders are proud to have contributed to the state exchequer,” he said.