Amid rising tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbours, traders from Gujarat have decided to stop supplying vegetables, especially tomatoes and chilli, to Pakistan.
The decision means farmers and traders taking a hit of nearly Rs 3 crore business every day.
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Ahmedabad General Commission Agent Association general secretary, Ahmed Patel said that daily Gujarat used to send 50 trucks having 10 tonnes of vegetables mainly tomatoes and chilli to Pakistan from Wagah border but stopped it for the past two days considering the tension between the two countries.
“Since 1997, this is for the first time that Gujarat traders have decided to stop supply of essential veggies to Pakistan. We will not supply the vegetables to Pakistan until the relations between the two countries get normalized,” Patel said.
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However, we will continue to send the vegetables to Bangladesh, Gulf countries, Canada and South Africa, he said.
Patel said the loss is huge, but the national interest is above the personal interest.
The association said they will continue to send the vegetables to Bangladesh, Gulf countries, Canada and South Africa.
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Many farmers of Kadi taluka in Mehsana district, which is considered as the hub of tomato production in Gujarat, have also individually decided not to send the vegetable to Pakistan.
Mansukh Patel, a tomato trader from Govindpara village of Kadi who had exported three tonnes tomatoes to Pakistan last year, said couple of farmers have decided not to send vegetables to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that Indo-Pak border will be completely sealed by December 2018. Singh met representatives of states sharing borders with Pakistan and said that a time-bound action plan has bee made and will implemented.
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Tensions between India and Pakistan rose following the Uri attack in which 19 soldiers were killed. Following which, India conducted surgical strike across the Line of Control (LoC). For the last few days, unprovoked firing has taken place at various places in Jammu and Kashmir.