Chandigarh: As many as 42 Indian trucks laden with garlic were sent back by Pakistani authorities through the Attari-Wagah route, saying “it was unfit for consumption”, traders in Amritsar said today.
”42 Indian trucks which were carrying garlic have been sent back by authorities in Pakistan and they have reasoned that it is unfit for consumption,” Amritsar-based trader and President of Federation of Dry Fruit and Karyana Commercial Association, Anil Mehra, told PTI.
Describing this as a “blow” to Indo-Pak trade relations, traders rued that the consignment was returned almost two months after it was sent.
”After two months, they (Pakistani authorities) decided to send back our trucks on frivolous grounds,” Mehra said, adding that the garlic was of good quality.
”Earlier also, the garlic of same quality was sent but that was accepted by Pakistan,” claimed Mehra.
Majority of the 42 trucks belonged to Delhi-based traders, while a few were sent by traders in Amritsar.
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Traders said the move can result in a loss of about Rs 3-4 crore, adding that it was for the first time that such a big consignment was rejected by Pakistan.
”I had sent three trucks of garlic to Pakistan almost two months back. But now without any concrete reason, my trucks were sent back. Phytosanitary department of Pakistan has rejected our garlic on the ground that it was not fit for consumption, which is completely wrong,” Amritsar-based trader Mukesh Sindhwani said.
India exports perishable items like tomatoes, ginger, garlic and cotton yarn to Pakistan, while the neighbouring nation exports cement, gypsum and dry fruits to the country via the Attari-Wagah land route.
Pakistan allows import of 137 items from India through Attari-Wagah.
As per estimates, the total volume of trade between two nations via Attari-Wagah is estimated at Rs 3,000 crore per annum.
India and Pakistan had resumed cross border movement of trucks in October 2007 after a gap of sixty years from Attari check post at Amritsar in India to Wagah border in Pakistan.
An integrated check post was set up at Attari-Wagah border in 2012 with at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore for smooth movement of traffic.
