Trade across Line of Control picking up

JAMMU - Cross-border trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir is picking up despite difficulties of communication and banking facilities.

Trade across the Line of Control (LoC) was around Rs.272 crore till January this year, Industries and Commerce Minister Surjit Singh Salathia told the state assembly Tuesday.

Two-way trade is expected to go up in the coming months with communication facilities being set up at trade centres, Salathia said.

The industries and commerce department looks after cross-LoC trade which is conducted at two points - Salamabad on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in the Kashmir Valley and Chakan-da-Bagh on the Poonch-Rawalakote road in Jammu.

The trade routes were opened in October 2006. Twice a week, goods trucks roll out from one side to the other.

“We propose to make it four days a week now,” Salathia said, and added that seven telephone lines would be set up at the trade centres. Also, efforts were on to have banking facilities.

Giving details of the trade across the LoC, Salathia said goods worth Rs.52.72 crore were exported and worth Rs.64.67 crore were imported at Salamabad.

At Chakan-da-Bagh, goods worth Rs.59.20 crore were exported and worth Rs.95.54 crore imported till the end of January 2010.

Currently, the two sides trade in 21 items. These include dry fruits, vegetables and pulses, spices, handicrafts and handloom products. While Kashmiri apples are popular in the Pakistan side, Moong dal (green pulse) and Peshawari chappals are hot items on this side of the border.