KATHMANDU – With the resumption of border points, closed due to Chinese Lhosar, import of goods has increased in a noticeable manner daily.
Seven containers of goods have been imported daily from the border points with China with the resumption of the transit points, according to the concerned Customs Office. Goods from readymade clothes to construction materials are being imported from Tatopani Customs Office, Sindhupalchowk, and Rasuwagadhi Customs Office in recent period.
Chief of Rasuwa Customs Office, Ram Prasad Regmi, said that seven container goods are being imported everyday with the resumption of the border points. Though goods are being imported significantly in last few days, there is no smooth import of goods as of previous. He said, “Although all staffs working at border points have inoculated vaccine against COVID-19, there is no smooth import of goods due to obstruction of Chinese side.”
There is still obstruction of Chinese side even after Rasuwa district has become coronavirus free district since two months, added Regmi. The border point, which was closed for long due to coronavirus, has come into one-way operation from November, 2020.
Similarly, Chief of Tatopani Customs Office, Lal Bahadur Khatri, shared that seven containers entered Nepal everyday via the border point, adding that out of seven containers, five containers are carrying chemical fertilizer.
Tatopani border point, closed for long, had resumed from October 29, 2020. Export at standstill
Exports have come to a standstill despite low imports from Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani border points. Exports, stopped from last year’s Chinese Lhosar, from Rasuwagadhi border point has not been resumed yet.
Regmi added, “Though we have taken efforts for resumption of export time and again, it is stopped for the past one year as Chinese side did not pay any interest on it.” Exports have been stopped at Rasuwagadhi border point from one year and Tatopani border point from Gorkha earthquake.
