Srinagar, May 5: Despite several ups and downs it has been marked with, the trade across LoC through Uri-Muzaffarabad route has crossed Rs 200 crore mark by April 2010 end.
  “Since the inception of the trade across LoC through this route, goods worth more than Rs 200 crore have been exchanged between two parts of Kashmir till April 28,” Muhammad Ashraf Wani, trade facilitation officer Salamabad and general manager DIC Varmul told Greater Kashmir.
 “So far 106 sessions of import and 105 of export have been conducted since October 2008,” he said.
 During past 106 sessions, goods worth Rs 115.87 crore have been imported in 3223 trucks from the Chakoti Trade Centre, AJK, he said.
 Goods valuing Rs 86.98 crore have been exported in 2489 trucks to AJK during 105 sessions.
 “Of 115.87 crore goods imported,” he said, “Rs 75 crore goods comprised of Pakistani green gram alone.”
 “It shows that green gram has got a huge potential, though this is a short-duration crop. So it is a challenge for the agriculture department here to cultivate this crop at a large scale. If they would give preference to the production of green gram over here, there won’t be any need for us to import green gram from outside,” said Wani, who is also an agriculture graduate.
  “It is a rain-fed crop and is fit for every soil. So we need to work on increasing its productivity in the Valley,” he added.
 Pertinently, the cross-LoC trade was kick-started on October 21, 2008, from Uri-Muzaffarabad route following massive civil agitation in the Valley in the backdrop of enforced economic blockade by Jammu during the Amarnath land row. Later, another cross-LoC route from Chankan-da-Bagh on Poonch-Rawalkote road was also opened.
 The cross-LoC trade has witnessed several ups and downs during the last two years. The trade was suspended several times by the traders from either side protesting government “indifference.”

Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 May 2010 00:00:00 IST