Imphal, Sept. 28: The Centre has agreed to a proposal by the Okram Ibobi Singh government to include more items in the trade list with Myanmar through Manipur’s border town of Moreh.

In a bid to boost the flagging border trade, the state commerce and industries department is finalising a fresh list of items, which will be forwarded to the Union commerce ministry.

At present, 22 items mostly agro-based products are permitted to move across the border. The trade route through Moreh was opened in April 1995.

Over the past decade, trade through the border town has grown into a win-win situation for Myanmar. The Ibobi Singh government feels that if trade is allowed in more items, this side of the border could rake in the profits, too.

“The annual volume of export from this side of the border is only Rs 1.9 crore, while traders here buy goods worth Rs 1 crore daily through legal as well as illegal activities,” a senior government official said. “We will include medicines, motor parts, furniture and electronic goods like television sets and computers. If trade is allowed in these items, we will benefit more.”

The state commerce department is also considering doing away with some items included in the agreement signed by the two countries on January 21, 1994.

Ibobi Singh proposed the addition of more trade items in a memorandum submitted to Union commerce minister Jairam Ramesh during his visit to the border township last year.