The bi-lateral trade relation between Tripura and Bangladesh scaled a new height as exports from Tripura have more than doubled over the years, said Industries and Commerce Minister of Tripura Manoj Kanti Deb.
Corona Pandemic affected the volume of trade between the two countries during the last two years. However, compared to 2017-18 FY, export-import increased.
“In 2017-18, total trade volume stood at Rs 390 crore 68 lakh. However, the volume of export-import reached Rs 733 crore 26 lakh in 2020-21 Financial Year”, the Minister said.
He further said, whereas goods worth Rs 6 crore 46 lakh were exported from Tripura to Bangladesh in 2017-18, the volume of exports from Tripura increased to Rs 14 crore 66 lakh in 2018-19. The export further increased to Rs 16 crore 39 lakh in 2020-21 FY.
Like the exports, volume of imports from Bangladesh also picked up between 2016-17 and 2020-21.
Quoting the data provided by the Agartala – Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP), Manoj Kanti Deb said, imports in 2016-17 stood at Rs 300 crore 23 lakh. Showing a quantum jump, the imports reached at Rs 644 crore 78 lakh in 2019-20. The volume of import continued to increase in 2020-21 and reached Rs 716 crore 87 lakh.
With sustained efforts to augment the exports from Tripura, over the years, exports reached from over Rs 6 crore to over Rs 16 crore in 2020-21. However, the trade balance is heavily skewed in favour of Bangladesh as the imports from Bangladesh stood at over Rs 716 crore. The Industries and Commerce Department needs to explore ways to improve exports from Tripura vis-à-vis overall trade volume.
