Exportable items and border infrastructure
EXPORTABLE ITEMS FROM ASSAM AND BORDER TRADE WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES
Tea is the major item of export from Assam. Assam’s share in India’s export of tea to various countries in the world is more than 50%. Apart from tea, some items like Joha rice , Bhut jolokia, Cane & Bamboo products, Muga & Eri fabrics and made ups, etc now are being exported to various countries through third parties/agency houses located at Mumbai, Kolkata & New Delhi. Assam borders Bhutan and Bangladesh and some of the items now exported to these two countries through various Land Custom Stations (LCS). There is a possibility to export more to other countries.
1. Indo- Bangla Border
India’s border with Bangladesh is 4096.7 Km long. Out of which 1880 Km Border is shared by four North Eastern States of India comprising of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Rest 2216.70 Km is shared with West Bengal. State-wise share of border with the North Eastern states is as follows:
Border with Bangladesh
Sl
State/s
Land Border (Km)
Riverine (Km)
Total (Km)
1
Assam
160
103
263
2
Meghalaya
443
0
443
3
Tripura
773
83
856
4
Mizoram
58
260
318
Total
1434
446
1880
2. Indo-Bhutan Border
Border with Bhutan
Sl
State/s
Land Border (Km)
1
Sikkim
32
2
West Bengal
183
3
Assam
267
4
Arunachal Pradesh
217
Total
699
3. Land Custom Stations of NER bordering Bangladesh
Government of India has notified 32 Land Custom Stations (LCS) of NER. Out of 32 LCSs, 18 are functional and 14 are non functional. In Assam, out of 13 LCSs, 3 are functional and other 10 LCSs non-functional. Golakganj is appointed as a Land Customs Station only for the purpose of export of Stone boulders, Stone chips and Coal from India and a Border Trade Centre is under construction at Golokganj (Sonahat, Gate No-24) of Dhubri district.
LCS in North East India
State
No of LCS
Name of Functional LCS
Name of Non-Functional LCS
1
Assam
13
1. Sutarkandi ( Karimganj District)
1. Mahisasan Railway station (Karimganj District)
2. Karimganj Steamer ghat (Karimganj District)
2. Silchar RMS ( Cachar district)
3. Mankachar ( Dhubri district)
3. Karimganj Rly Station (Karimganj District)
4. Karimganj Ferry stations (Karimganj District)
5. Silchar Steamer ghat ( Cachar district)
6. Tezpur Steamer ghat ( Sonitpur district)
7. Dhubri Steamer ghat( Dhubri district)
8. Golokganj ( Dhubri district)
9. Guwahati Steamer ghat (Kamrup metro)
10. Latu Bazar (Karimganj District)
2
Meghalaya
10
1. Mahendraganj
1. Ryanku
2. Baghmara
2. Balat
3. Ghasupara
4. Dawki
5. Bholaganj
6. Borsora
7. Shellabazar
8. Dalu
3
Mizoram
1
Nil
1.Demagiri
4
Tripura
8
1. Old Rangabazar
1. Dhalughat
2. Manu
3. Agartala
4. Khowighat
5. Srimantapur
6. Muhurighat
7. Sabroom ( 2011)
32
18 functional
14 non functional
4. Land Custom Stations of Assam Bordering Bhutan
(1) Darranga ( Baksa District of BTAD)
Rangia-Tamulpur Motorable road from Darranga to Samdrup-Thankar (in Bhutan) in the District of Baksa of Assam.
(2) Hatisar ( Chirang District of BTAD)
Motorable Road from Samthiabari to Gaylegphug (Bhutan) via Runikhata and Deosiri in the District of Chirang of Assam.
5. Status of Land Custom Stations in Assam
As mentioned, there are 13 declared LCSs in Assam and out of which 10 are non-functional. Status of these LCSs is shown below:
Sl
Name of the LCS
Present status
1
Sutarkandi
Functional & trading is going on, Infrastructure created under ASIDE scheme.
2
Karimganj steamer ghat
Functional & development of approach road is underway to be completed by December,2012.Funded through ASIDE.
3
Mankachar
Functional & Infrastructure created under ASIDE fund. There is no direct connectivity with Bangladesh due to absence of bridges & road.
4
Mahisasan Railway station
Ministry of Railway proposed taken up to gauge conversion works and mentioned in the Railway Budget for 2011-12 presented in the Lok Sabha by the then Minister of Railways Mamata Banerjee, details not available. This railway station shall be entry point of India in the proposed Trans-Asian Railway net-work.
5
Silchar RMS
Non-Functional
6
Karimganj Rly Station
Non-Functional
7
Karimganj Ferry stations
Non-Functional
8
Silchar Steamer ghat
Non-Functional
9
Tezpur Steamer ghat
Non-Functional
10
Dhubri Steamer ghat
Non-Functional but to be functional soon, Development of port is now undertaken up by IWTC.
11
Golokganj
At present non-functional, construction of basic infrastructure is going on with assistance under ASIDE. It will be functional soon.
12
Guwahati Steamer ghat
Non-Functional but to be functional soon, Development of port facilities are going on under IWTC.
13
Latu Bazar
Non-functional
14
Darranga
Trading is going on. One Border Trade Centre under Construction.
15
Hatisar
Trading is going on. Proposed to set up one Border Trade Centre at Hatisar LCS.
6. Border trade with Bangladesh through LCSs of Assam
Border trade with Bangladesh through the three LCSs of Assam for the Year 2007-08 to 2011-12 are as follows:
EXPORT THROUGH LCSs OF ASSAM TO BANGLADESH 2007-08 to 2011-12 Fig in Rs.in Cr
EXPORT LCS wise
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
1
Mankachar, Indo-Bangla
0.13
0.37
0.11
0.08
0.13
2
Karimganj Steamer & Ferry, Indo-Bangla
4.78
3.83
5.31
13.75
8.52
3
Sutarkandi, Indo-Bangla
24.66
29.40
28.57
19.48
26.99
Total
29.57
33.60
33.99
33.31
35.64
IMPORT FROM BANGLADESH THROUGH LCS OF ASSAM 2007-08 to 2011-12 Fig in Rs.in Cr
IMPORT LCS wise
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
1
Mankachar, Indo-Bangla
0.12
0.20
1.82
2.96
1.98
2
Karimganj Steamer & Ferry, Indo-Bangla
0.56
0.56
1.14
0.70
0.03
3
Sutarkandi, Indo-Bangla
14.22
28.65
41.11
30.53
45.63
Total
14.90
29.41
44.07
34.19
47.64
7. Items Exported through LCSs of Assam to Bangladesh & Bhutan
Exported items to Bangladesh: based on 2007-08 to 2010-11 data
To Bangladesh
To Bhutan
1
Bamboo Muli
1
Bricks
2
Betel leave
2
Empty bottles
3
Broken Glass
3
HSDO
4
Ceramic & wooden statue
4
LPG
5
Citrus fruit
5
Motor Spirit
6
Coal (Meghalaya origin)
6
Oranges
7
Dry Chili
7
Rectified spirit
8
Dry Fish
8
Rice
9
Ginger
9
SKO
10
Lime Quick (MT)
11
Onion
12
Orange
13
Plywood (kgs)
14
Stainless steel products
15
Stone
16
Tomato
17
Turmeric
8. Imported items from Bangladesh through LCSs of Assam : based on 2007-08 to 2010-11 data
1
Aerated Water
21
Kopi Lamp
41
Soya bin Oil
2
Beauty soap
22
Laundry Soap
42
Synthetic fruit drinks
3
Biscuit
23
Melamine products
43
Tableware
4
Bricks
24
Men’s boy’s head gear
44
Vulcanized rubber sheet
5
Cement
25
Men's trouser Cotton
45
Vanaspati
6
Cigarette Filter
26
Men's trouser shorts/shirts
46
Woven fabrics
7
Coconut Coir
27
Misc Food items
47
Woven Fabrics
8
Cotton waste
28
Misc items
9
Crackers & Chips
29
Molasses
10
Dry cell battery
30
Other knitted synthetic fabric
11
Fishes, other
31
Other metal, wooden furniture
12
Fishing net
32
Plastic household articles/ furniture
13
Float glass
33
Porcelain table ware
14
Fried Veg products
34
PVC pipes & tubes
15
Furniture
35
Readymade garments
16
Geo Bags
36
Religious books
17
Hand pump tube well
37
Rose water
18
Hilsha Fish
38
Rubber Footwear
19
Keya Super Soap
39
Rubber smoked sheet
20
Knitted crocheted synthetic fabric
40
Soap
Imported Items from Bhutan:
From Bhutan
Bhutanese liquor
Boulder Stone
Plywood/ Block Board
8. LCS wise Ranking of Exported Items and place of Origin ( to Bangladesh):
( Based on 2010-11 data & ranking based on value of import)
(a) Sutarkandi LCS
Item/s
Rank
Places of origin
1
Coal ( 79789 MT)
1
Meghalaya
2
Ginger (83 MT)
2
Assam , Meghalaya , Manipur, Tripura & Mizoram.
3
Orange (77 MT)
3
Do
4
Others
4
Assam
(b) Karimganj Steamer & Ferry Service
Item/s
Rank
Places of origin
1
Ginger (4949 MT)
1
Assam , Meghalaya , Manipur, Tripura & Mizoram.
2
Orange (422 MT)
2
do
3
Dry Fish (136 MT)
3
Assam
4
Betel Leave (21 MT)
4
Assam
5
Citrus fruit ( 208746 nos)
5
Assam
6
Turmeric ( 15 MT)
6
Assam
(c) Mankachar LCS
Item/s
Rank
Places of origin
1
Coal (192 MT)
1
Meghalaya
2
Stone (1309 MT)
2
Assam & Meghalaya
9. Indo-Bhutan Trade
(a) Land Custom Stations (LCS): There are two land custom stations in Assam-Bhutan Border , one at Hatisar ( in Kokrajhar district) another at Darranga ( Baksa district) . Due to lack of adequate infrastructure in both the side , the LCS at the Darranga is not functioning. EXIM Data of Hatisar LCS is given below:
Export 2009-12 LCS: Hatisar ( Indo-Bhutan Border)
Sl
Item/s of Export
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
Qty
Value (Rs.in Cr)
Qty
Value (Rs.in Cr)
Qty
Value (Rs.in Cr)
1
Rectified spirit (KL)
752360
3.75
18390000
6.27
1821800
7.50
2
SKO(KL)
1536
1.23
1188
1.20
1176
1.50
3
HSDO (KL)
7970
22.68
10036
32.60
23736
48.40
4
Empty Bottles (pcs)
487580
0.24
4024240
2.08
4879982
3.03
5
Bricks (nos)
5020500
1.53
9409500
3.18
7097300
2.91
6
LPG (no)
58386
1.55
59425
1.93
67320
2.37
7
Motor Spirit (KL)
2372
14.50
3016
1.29
3472
32.12
8
Rice (ton)
3760.38
5.33
2693
0.46
21804
5.17
9
Oranges (boxes)
139762
0.16
149875
0.14
200509
10.16
Total
50.97
49.15
113.16
Import 2009-12 LCS: Hatisar ( Indo-Bhutan Border)
Sl
Item/s of Import
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
Qty
Value (Rs.in Cr)
Qty
Value (Rs.in Cr)
Qty
Value (Rs.in Cr)
1
Plywood/Block boards ( sq mtr)
39206
0.44
1440
0.02
8403
0.18
2
Bhutanish liquor (Cases/Ltr)
16900
1.27
9200
0.37
0
0
Total
1.71
0.39
0.18
10. Requirement
Based on the opportunities of border trade, following activities need to be taken care of:
1
Taking Cachar as a future economic hub, Export Processing Industrial Parks, grading & packaging facilities, Trade Facilitation Centres, Containers scanning facilities , etc may be set up . Apart from that massive awareness programmes for new exporters/entrepreneurs, trade delegation to neigbouring countries may be arranged.
2
Keeping Dhubri as future Business Hub in Lower Assam region, similar activities may be considered on priority basis.
3
All bilateral issues like transit facility , air connectivity, dredging of river Brahmaputra & Barak, Visa arrangement, connectivity issues, setting up of Air Cargo facilities etc may be taken up.
4
Need of a Multi Activity Common Facility Services centre for development of exportable products in the line of Bangsai Art & Craft Village, Bangkok.
5
One Border Trade Centre at Darranga ( Indo-Bhutan Border) is under construction and likely to be completed by March, 2014. Hatisar is a major LCS along Indo-Bhutan Border and one Border Trade Centre is urgently required.