As stalemate over slot booking ends, export resumes at Hili land port
BALURGHAT: The stalemate over slot booking for potato and onion exports has finally been resolved. The Bengal government has granted conditional approval for slot bookings, paving the way for the resumption of exports from Wednesday afternoon at the Hili land port. Traders, who were facing significant financial losses, breathed a sigh of relief as operations restarted. According to customs officials, the dry port incurred a loss of Rs 10 crore over the past three days.
Exporters can now book slots on the Bengal Transport department’s Suvidha Portal after providing product details and paying a substantial fee. However, the government abruptly halted slot bookings for potatoes and onions on Sunday morning, leading to a complete stoppage of exports via Hili. Consequently, 160 trucks carrying potatoes and onions were left stranded at the port.Faced with mounting losses, traders attempted to resume exports on Tuesday afternoon. However, their efforts were met with resistance from on-duty police officers overseeing the portal, leading to a tense standoff at the port. The situation calmed after assurances from the district administration, but slot bookings remained suspended until Wednesday morning.
While no restrictions were imposed on onion exports, the Bengal government has introduced conditions for potato exports. Traders must prove that the potatoes are sourced from other states and provide an undertaking for the same. Slot bookings for potatoes will remain open until November 29, while onions can be exported without any such conditions.
The Hili Exporters and Importers Customs Clearing Agents Association announced that priority would be given to processing the 160 trucks stranded at the port. The association is determined to expedite exports to fulfill orders from Bangladesh. Rajesh Agarwal, vice-president of the association, stated: “Slot bookings for potatoes and onions have resumed and exports started on Wednesday afternoon. The immediate crisis has been resolved. However, there are conditions for potato exports, requiring proof of origin from other states and a declaration. Traders have been saved from significant financial losses.”
Madhusudan Dutta, Superintendent of the Hili Customs department, confirmed the resumption of exports. “Trucks have started arriving at the port and we are facilitating exports after verifying documents. There were no issues on our part. Over the past three days, losses recorded was Rs 2 crore in export duties alone — totaling losses of around Rs 10 crore for the Indian government,” he stated.
As operations normalise, traders are striving to minimise delays and fulfill pending export orders, marking a crucial step in stabilising trade relations with Bangladesh.
