Two Kashmirs to trade now

Trade between the two halves of Kashmir is almost a reality now. Soon, Kashmiri traders will be able to send their internationally acclaimed carpets, shawls, spices, cricket bats, walnut furniture and apples to the Pakistani-controlled portion of Kashmir and the rest of Pakistan through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road.

India and Pakistan reached an agreement on cross-border trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, traders and businessmen in Jammu and Kashmir have welcomed the agreement.

India and Pakistan agreed to open the Line of Control (LoC), which divides Kashmir, to trade by launching a truck service between the two sides through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, historically known as Jehlum Valley road. The two countries reached the historic agreement on Wednesday in New Delhi and the trade route would open by the second week of July.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) termed it a welcome development.

"It has been our long pending demand that the road (Srinagar-Muzaffarabad) be opened up for trade activities. The decision will enormously benefit our internationally acclaimed businesses of fruits, carpets, handicrafts and shawls," KCCI General Secretary A M Mir said.

The two neighbouring countries decided that representatives of chamber and commerce and industries and other trade organisations from both sides would meet and chalk out the operation details for ensuring smooth trade through Srinagar-Muzaffarbad road.

"We think the decision is path breaking. We are looking forward for meeting with our counterparts on the other side of Kashmir soon," Mir said.

At the initial stage, the two neighbouring countries have given concurrence for exchange of items like carpets, rugs, chain-stitch, wall hangings, papier-machie, shawls, Pashmina, crewel embroidered, Kashmiri wooden products, wood carving items, cricket bats, furniture and other wooden items, silk products, Kashmiri fruits, dry fruits, Kashmiri spices, flowers, Kashmiri saffron, Kashmiri wazwan, leather products, aromatic and medicinal plants, by way of trade from India to Pakistan through Sringar-Muzaferabad route.

From Pakistan to India the items for which concurrence has been given in the meeting include spices, apples, walnuts, rice, precious stones, papier-machie, furniture, marble, onion, garlic, herbs, embroidered items, pine nuts etc.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was quick to respond: "I'm overwhelmed with joy. After painful and prolonged period of turmoil, a new era of economy and trade has started which will further strengthen pillars of peace and tranquility."

Business experts believe that the biggest beneficiary of the latest trade agreement would be Kashmir's apple industry.

With a turnout of Rs 1400 crores a year, apple is a mainstay of Kashmir's economy. Its production in the state has reached to about 1.2 million metric tonnes annually and employs nearly 600,000 Kashmiris with a contribution of about 10 percent to the State Domestic Product (SDP).

Apple growers, one of the vocal supporters of trans-border trade, argue that it takes several weeks as transportation time to international markets and has thus kept them out of potentially lucrative markets. The opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for trade would mean that Kashmir's apple reaches international market in just few days.

"Right now our apples have to be shipped to other cities in the country before being exported to foreign countries, which takes at least couple of weeks. This trade link will change the fate of our apple industry," said G R Bhat, president of Jammu and Kashmir Fruit Growers and Traders Association.