Six years after suspension, Himachal bats for resuming trade with China via Shipki La

Himachal Pradesh urges Centre to lift ban on livestock trade with China via Shipki La after 5-year suspension, impacting local economy.

Over five years after the cross-border trade with China through Shipki La was suspended owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and violent skirmishes between the troops of the two countries in eastern Ladakh, the Himachal government has urged the Centre to lift the ban on the livestock trade.

The annual trade via Himachal’s Shipki La would traditionally begin by June end and continue till November. (HT File)

The annual trade would traditionally begin by June end and continue till November.

“We have been writing to the Centre about the trade as it is one of the main activities for the people living in the border areas,” director industries Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said, adding that they were yet to receive a response.

Trade had suffered a setback when the import and export of livestock, a major component of exchange, was banned due to the lack of quarantine facilities for animals at the border.

Livestock comprised a major portion of cross-border trade. The Indian side majorly imported goats reared for wool and meat in China-controlled Tibet while Chamurthi horses, known for their sturdiness, were also a popular choice.

The state government says it has since set up quarantine facilities.

Traders from the Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts, which share a 240-km long border with China, participate in the annual trade. The two districts, which include an 80-km stretch between Chumar in Lahaul-Spiti and 160-km from Daroti to Mumri Dogri in Kinnaur.

The district administration of Kinnaur had also written to the state government to take up tissue with the Centre.

“The government too is keen to resume trade. The government has created a quarantine facility. We have requested the Centre to talk to their counterparts in China so livestock trade can be resumed,” revenue minister and Kinnaur MLA Jagat Singh Negi said.

Indo-China Trade Association Kinnaur president Hishey Negi said, “Our association too had requested the government that if the situation permits, it should resume the trade. The last six years greatly impacted the local economy.”

The bilateral trade through Shipki La pass, the 18,599ft. high mountain pass that connects the Kinnaur district to the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China, reopened in 1993 after it was shut down due to the Indo-China war in 1962.

Till the suspension of the trade 37 trade items were exported from India, including agriculture implements, copper products, clothes, cycles, coffee, tea, barley, rice, flour, dry, fruits Dry and fresh vegetables, edible oil, tobacco, spices among others.

Nearly 20 items, meanwhile, were imported from China which include, goatskin, sheep skin, wool, raw silk, yak tails, yak hair, China clay, borax, seabelyipe (szaibelyite), butter, common salt, horse, goat sheep. Readymade garments, shoes, quilts and herbal medicines were also imported..

Trade tracker

The annual trade would traditionally begin by June end and continue till November.

2014 ₹7.32 crore

2015 ₹9.72 crore

2016 ₹8.59 crore

2017 ₹59.21 lakh

2018 ₹2.52 crore

2019 ₹3.05 crore