THE second trading post with Myanmar was opened last month at Zokhawthar in Eastern Mizoram in an effort to boost bilateral trade through land route.

The first such post is at Moreh in Manipur, which has been operating for many years now. A Land Customs Station (LCS) of the Central Customs has already been established at the border village of Zokhawthar. The LCS will be under the command of a Superintendent and would be manned by about eight Customs personnel in the beginning.

As many as 22 items listed in schedule I including, mustard seeds, fresh vegetables, onions, garlic, bamboo and other minor forest products, would come under the traditional free exchange or barter system but would have a limit of 1,000 dollars within a  radius of 40 km on either side of the International Border. These schedule I articles will also be limited to the indegenous or ethnic people living in and around the border area. In order to trade goods listed in Schedule I worth up to 20,000 dollars under the Barter Mechanism, traders will have to possess an IEC number provided by the Director General Foreign Trade (DGFT).

Under no circumstances would monetary transaction take place under the barter system and imports from Myanmar shall precede export from India to Myanmar. Customs duties and cess will be chargeable as per the Customs Tariff Act 1975. However, for the 22 items listed in schedule I, five per cent ad valorem or five per cent of the value of the items will be charged as import duties. Exports from India will attract only Cess duties on some items in Schedule I. In all, the two countries have agreed on the import and export of 32 items and any items not listed will be liable to seizure and confiscation uner the Customs Act 1962.The agreed items are mainly agricultural and forest products since the Indo-Myanmar Trade Agreement is limited to agricultural and forest products.

Even with the official opening this new trade post, no trading is likely to take place as Champhai, the district headquarters where the trading post is located, is yet to be notified as an authorised entry point by the Central government. People needing clarification on the trading rules and regulations were asked to contact customs officials at the North-East Region office in Shillong, Meghalaya or the Aizawl Customs Division in Mizoram..

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