India-Bangladesh Border Haat at Srinagar, Tripura Allowed for Local Produce

[DGFT Public Notice No. 72 dated 7^th November 2014]

Subject: Trade in Border Haat across the border at Tripura between Bangladesh and India.

In exercise of powers conferred under paragraph 2.4 read with 2.13 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2009-14, the Director General of Foreign Trade hereby makes the following arrangements under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated 23.10.2010 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 Haat at Srinagar, Tripura – between Purbo Madhyagram (India) and Chhoighoria (Bangladesh):

i. Locally produced vegetables, food items, fruits, spices;

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

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

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

v. Locally produced garments, melamine products, processed food items, fruit juice, etc.

2. Locally produced under the above means ‘the produce of the concerned border district of the designated Haat’. 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.

Effect of Public Notice

It operationalises the provisions of Memorandum of Understanding dated 23.10.2010 between India and Bangladesh and facilitates border trade between the two countries through a new border Haat at Srinagar, Tripura (India).