Vegetable oil is the most exported item to Tibet

NATHULA BORDER TRADE ENTERS LAST MONTH OF 6th SEASON WITH SAME OLD LIST AND ZERO INPUTS
GANGTOK, 03 Nov: The Nathula border trade with China is now into its last month with the trade due to shut down for this season on 30 November and as has been the story of previous seasons the official balance of trade is heavily tilted in favour of the Indians.
The official figures for import items is zero which is to say that absolutely nothing has been imported this season while exports to Tibetan Autonomous Region have been steadily increasing from Rs.12 lakhs worth export s in May to a maximum of Rs.48 lakhs for the month of August. Exports dipped during September at Rs.42 lakhs, as a result of the earthquake and the blockade of the route to Tsomgo and Nathula. 
There have, however, been numerous reports of unlisted goods making their way through to Sikkim via the border pass, but being unlisted there are no official figures for such “imports”. The figures for this season suggest a significant decline in the export of goods compared to last year during which exports peaked at Rs.98 lakhs during November 2010 and was at Rs.83 lakhs in October, 2010.
The last available export figures are for the month of September during which exports recorded Rs.42.58 lakhs. The bulk of commodity being exported is vegetable oil (dalda) which during the month of September was worth Rs.20.22 lakhs of the total exports. Next are copper items, canned food, blankets, textiles and tea. Cigarettes are also a favoured item of export.
This is, incidentally, the sixth season of border trade between the two countries. And while that may be so there has been absolutely no change in the list of items of trade for the past 6 years.  Officials at the Industries Department inform that the center decided to continue with the existing list of items for border trade due to the lack of infrastructure and the unsuitable road conditions. The Border Roads Organisation has been engaged in road widening and double laning works along the Sherathang route for the past 2 years.
It was also informed that the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, had visited Sikkim in the month of July to study the existing road conditions along the border trade route and also the infrastructure existing at the trade mart at Sherathang. The objective of the visit to see the feasibility of changing the status of trade but as the infrastructure and double laning of the road had not been completed nothing could be decided. Subsequently, there has been no direction from the Ministry and so the border trade continues with the present listed items.