The Nagaland Government has been demanding to declare Longwa as a trade point in order to increase the volume of legal trade with Myanmar. In 2003,Customs and the Foreign Trade departments had conducted a feasibility study and suggested improving the transportation system in the area for facilitating trade with Myanmar. On the basis of the feasibility report, the Commerce Ministry has approved the funds to start preliminary work at Longwa. The trade point located 32 km away from Mon district of Nagaland, has been witnessing barter trade among the people living along the international border for the last several decades. To explore the trade potential, the Nagaland Government had already constructed a temporary shed in the area for smooth running of trade between the countries. Commenting on approval of funds, the Joint Director, Foreign Trade, MK Mero told this correspondent that Commerce Ministry is keen to open more trade points in the North East India with it’s neighboring countries to increase the volume of trade. “ We have so far two trade points with Myanmar and if Longwa is opened, traders of the region would be benefited. Cross border trade can change the scenario of the North East India”, he observed .In this context, he informed that the Commerce Ministry had already released Rs 6 crore for the Zokhawathar trade point of Mizoram for accelerating the ongoing work. “The Commerce Ministry is in the process of releasing more funds to the North East India to improve the present condition of the trade points. In spite of having vast potential, there are only 12 trade points are functioning for which we have decided to upgrade the trade points”, he added.  The Federation of Industries and Commerce for the North Eastern Region (FINER) president Subhash Agarwal has welcomed the decision of the Commerce Ministry saying that this would encourage the traders of the region to involve in export and import business.

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