Shimla, Nov 14 (PTI) Traders from Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti fear the famed Lavi Fair of Rampur, 130 km from here, is losing its sheen and reopening the mountain pass would benefit both them and buyers.

"Many people who visit the fair to specifically buy Chinese goods are no longer as enthusiastic. Opening the border would help expand trade and benefit traders on both sides," said Meena Devi, a trader from Shaung village in Sangla.

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The closure of the Tibet border has significantly impacted business, he said.

Cross-border trade through the Shipki La mountain pass in Kinnaur was halted in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and has not resumed since.

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Items such as wool, raw silk, yak hair, China clay, borax, butter, common salt, horses, goats, sheep, readymade garments, shoes, quilts, blankets, carpets and herbal medicines, among other things, were imported from China.

The Indo-China Trade Association of Kinnaur, along with the district administration, has written to the state government urging it to raise the issue with the Centre.

Traders from the region bring a variety of goods to the fair like wool, pashmina, yaks, pine nuts, woollen fabrics and dry fruits. They also trade agricultural produce like woollen pattoos, cumin and other items.

Dharam Lal Negi, a trader from Kalpa, has been selling Kinnauri shawls, wool and other items at the fair for 35 years.

He said resuming the trade would benefit traders on both sides and generate employment for people living along the border.

Kamal Sen, a trader from Sangla, said, "Our parents were shepherds and we started selling woollen goods at the fair. Many people who used to buy Chinese goods, such as pashmina and jackets, are now leaving disappointed."

"The fair continues but it would flourish more if the border was reopened," he said.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Thursday that the issue of cross-border trade falls in the central government's domain.

"So far, no one has approached me on this issue. If traders bring their concerns to me, I will see what I can do," he said.

The Lavi Fair began after a historic agreement between the rulers of Bushahr and Tibet about 300 years ago, solidified by an exchange of Tibetan horses and Bushahr swords.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)