ISLAMABAD: Bilateral trade with India has facilitated the Pakistani farmers’ community as five out of 16 tariff lines with zero percent duty are related to agriculture sector under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) including vegetable seed, tomato, onion, garlic and wheat products.
“Moreover, these products are imported to sustain availability and price stability in the local market” a source said. It was further stated that only 138 items were importable from India through Wagah land route, in accordance with the list of items appearing in Appendix G-I of Import Policy Order 2013. The duty on items imported through said route ranges from 1 to 5%.
The major items imported from India through Wagah land route include oil cake, tomato, peas, onion, fruit, carbon dioxide, cotton, polypropylene, polyethylene while Pakistan’s major exports to India through the said route include fruit, dates, cotton & cotton fabric, gypsum, cement, soda ash, hydrogen peroxide etc.
The bilateral trade between Pakistan and India takes place through sea and Wagah-Attari border. However there is no restriction on imports through sea and Wagah rail routes, except items listed in Appendix-G of the IPO, which are banned for import from India under the Negative List.
