Authorities in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) have asked their counterparts on this side of Line of Control to stop sending bananas via LoC trade, saying the fruit is ‘infected with ‘some’ disease’.
In a letter to the Trade Facilitation Centre, Salamabad, Uri, the PaK authorities today communicated that bananas exported to that side of LoC are disease infested and should not be sent to PaK. However, the PaK authorities have not mentioned name of any disease with which the bananas are infected.
“We have asked our counterpart if they feel any consignment of Bananas is found infected then they should send us sample report obtained from some laboratory, as well as, sample of infected bananas should be passed on to us so that we can substantiate their claim after a proper laboratory investigation” said Custodian Trade Facilitation Centre, Slamabad, Sagar D Doifode.
The volume of bananas through cross LoC trade is extremely high as compared to other fruits being traded between the divided parts of Kashmir and sudden ban on its import is likely to inflict huge loss to the traders of Kashmir.
In the 2011, the PaK authorities had similarly banned the import of red chillies through cross LoC trade claiming that the imported chillies were infected with Aflatoxin, an extremely toxic and highly Carcinogenic fungus.
“The infected red chillies being highly poisonous and threat for human health and life, is altogether not allowed in any country including India. Thus you are requested not to trade red chilli varieties ‘Fathki and Dhora” reads the letter sent to TFO, Slamabad in 2011.