India Bangladesh Trade through Border Haat

Trade Goods without Exchange Control Notified, Purchase Limit of $100 per day per Individual Specified

[DGFT Public Notice No. 23 dated 15 October 2012]

Subject: Trade in Border Haats across the border at Meghalaya between Bangladesh and India.

In supersession of the Public Notice No.61/2009 -2014 (RE-2010) dated the 1^st July, 2011 and in exercise of powers conferred under paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-09, the Director General of Foreign Trade hereby makes the following arrangements under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated 23.10.2010 and addendum to this MOU dated 15.05.2012 for the operation of Border Haats across the border between India and Bangladesh:

1. In terms of the provisions contained in the Foreign Trade Policy, the following commodities will be allowed to be traded in the Border Haats at Baliamari – Kalaichar and Lauwaghar –Balat:

i. Vegetables, food items, fruits, spices;

ii. Minor forest produce e.g. bamboo, bamboo grass, and broom stick but excluding timber;

iii. Products of cottage industries like Gamcha, Lungi etc;

iv. Small agriculture household implements e.g., dao, plough, axe, spade, chisel etc;

v. Garments, melamine products, processed food items, fruit juice, toiletries, cosmetics, plastic products, aluminum products, cookeries.

2. Clarification as to the specific commodity falling under the above list of items will be given by the Haat Management Committee, constituted under Article 1 of the operational guidelines of the MOU.

3. Vendors who are allowed to sell their products in the Border Haats shall be the residents of the area within five (5) km radius from the location of Border Haat. The vendees may offer immediate consumption items of snack foods/ juices as may be allowed by the Haat Management Committee.

4. The commodities will be allowed to be exchanged in the designated Border Haats in local currency and / or barter basis. Each individual will be allowed to purchase only as much of the commodities produced in Bangladesh/India which are reasonable for bonafide personal/family consumption.  Estimated value of such consumption shall not be more than respective local currency equivalent of US$ 100 (One Hundred) for any particular day.

5. The regulations relating to the foreign exchange will be suspended in the designated Border Haats.

6. Effect of this Public Notice

Arrangements for operationalisation of Border Haats between India and Bangladesh have been harmonized with addendum dated 15^th May, 2012 to the MOU dated 23^rd October, 2010.