Wholesale traders dealing in Chinese goods in Siliguri are worried that stocks worth Rs 150 crore will not be exhausted because of growing sentiments against the neighbouring country following the Ladakh clash in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

What added to their concern was a protest staged by a section of retail traders who burned Chinese goods at Bagdogra on Friday.

Siliguri has around 125 wholesalers who import cosmetics, household items, electronic gadgets, ornaments and other materials from China.

Every day, goods worth around Rs 40 lakh are sold in the wholesale sector. The items are purchased by retailers in the Darjeeling hills and some Northeast states.

Sikkim governor Ganga Prasad (left) offers homage to the martyred Indian soldiers at MG Marg in Gangtok on Friday Telegraph picture

In and around Siliguri, over 2,000 retailers — 1,500 at Hong Kong Market here and 500 at Bagdogra — sell Chinese goods. Their aggregate daily turnover would come around Rs 10 lakh.

Traders at the Hong Kong Market had already announced that they would change the trade hub’s name and stop placing fresh orders for Chinese goods.

Traders at Bagdogra assembled and set fire to Chinese goods worth around Rs 4 lakh on Friday in protest against the Chinese aggression in Ladakh. Around 200 shopowners took part in the protest and burned cosmetics, stationery goods, bags and electronic gadgets.

The wholesalers said although they had not imported Chinese goods in the past four months, they were worried whether the existing stock would be cleared.

“Goods valued about Rs 150 crore are in stock with us as of now. The sale had declined, both in the wholesale and retail sectors, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. We are not sure if the stock can be sold now that anti-China protests have rocked the country, particularly Siliguri, after the Galwan Valley clash,” said Nandalal Rathi, a wholesaler in Siliguri.

The retailers said they, too, had stocks of Chinese items. However, they simultaneously demanded that manufacturing of similar items start in India.

Tapan Sarkar, a member of the Bagdogra Airport More Byabsayee Samiti, who participated in the protest on Friday, said they had Chinese goods close to Rs 1 crore in the stock. “We will have to sell whatever is left in the stock. But from now on, we will boycott Chinese goods and will not place more orders. The central and state governments should see that similar products are made in our country,” he said.