Srinagar, Apr 2: Picking up momentum the cross-LoC trade today witnessed a huge trade with 200 truckloads of merchandise exchanging sides on Uri-Muzaffarabad route this week.
 Official sources at Trade Facilitation Centre Salamabad, Uri, told Greater Kashmir that merchandise laden in 219 trucks was exchanged between two parts of Kashmir this week.
 “It is for the first time that goods weighing 16316 quintals and valuing Rs 10.5 crore were traded between two sides in a week. This is a record trade by every means,” said Muhammad Ashraf Wani, custodian officer for the cross-LoC trade at TFC Salamabad and general manager DIC Varmul.
 Giving details, he said 117 trucks carrying 8181 quintals of consignments were dispatched from the TFC Salamabad to AJK, with cardamom (big) and Kashmiri handicrafts items dominating the supply. The goods were valuing Rs 5.5 crore, he said.
 Meanwhile, he said, 102 trucks were received from the Chakoti Trade Centre, AJK. The consignments worth Rs 5 crore and weighing 8135 quintals comprised of Pakistanimoong dal (green gram) alone.
 “Since previous week no trade was conducted across the LoC on account of Pakistan National Day, this week saw jump in the trade,” he said.
 The custodian officer further said that now more and more traders were seeking registration for the trans-LoC trade. “This is because they have learnt that now more facilities would be provided for the trade including telecommunication link and that the trade is likely to be conducted on four days instead of two in a week, though we have not received formal orders from the higher authorities as yet,” Wani said.
 “In fact, now many female traders are also coming forward,” he added.
 To mention, the minister of industries and commerce, Surjeet Singh Salathia recently informed the state Legislative Council that the state government has recommended to the centre to increase the number of cross-LoC trading days from two to four a week, besides procurement and installation of whole body truck scanners at two trade points for checking the goods coming into the state from AJK.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 2 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 2 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 3 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST