The floods on September 27 and 28 swept away bridges connecting Nepal and China over the Bhote Koshi and Liping rivers at the Tatopani checkpoint. As a result, perishable goods like fruits are now being brought into Nepal via ‘tuin’ cable crossings, according to the Tatopani Customs Office.

In contrast, the Rasuwagadhi checkpoint remains closed due to landslides, with no reopening in sight. According to customs officials, around 40 containers of goods bound for Nepal via Tatopani are stranded in China, while over 300 containers remain stuck in Kerung, Tibet, across Rasuwagadhi.

Authorities have indicated that neither checkpoint is likely to fully reopen before the Tihar festival. Trade between Nepal and China had been gradually increasing after the reopening of these checkpoints, which had been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this progress has been halted by the recent floods and landslides.

In the fiscal year 2023/24 , approximately 34% of Nepal's total imports from China were handled through these two checkpoints, while 67% of exports to China passed through them, according to customs data.

In the first two months of the current fiscal year, roughly 40% of Nepal's imports from China were processed through Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi. However, the floods and landslides have once again disrupted this growing trade.

"A temporary wooden bridge and ‘tuin’ cable crossings have been installed where the original bridge was destroyed. A new Bailey bridge has arrived, but there is no road to transport it to the site, so the work is stalled," said Surya Prasad Kafle, the information officer at Tatopani Customs Office.

He explained that the road leading to the bridge in Kodari was washed away by a landslide and needs to be reconstructed. However, the proximity of the landslide to a nearby village has raised concerns that the reconstruction could affect the community, delaying further action. "Even with rapid progress, it looks like the checkpoint will remain closed throughout November," Kafle added.

Currently, perishable goods like fruits are being transported to Liping by truck, transferred via ‘tuins’ across the temporary bridge, and carried on foot to Kodari, where they are loaded onto other vehicles. At present, only fruits and garlic are being imported via Tatopani.

At the Rasuwagadhi checkpoint, hundreds of containers carrying clothes, fruits, and other goods for the Dashain and Tihar festivals remain stranded, according to Rabindra Prasad Pyakurel, the information officer at Rasuwagadhi Customs Office. The road from Kerung to Rasuwagadhi, a 10-kilometer stretch, was washed away by the floodwaters, with rivers now flowing in its place. Pyakurel also noted that fruits worth millions of rupees for the festivals are at risk of decaying.

The floods in mid-September have brought trade at both checkpoints to a halt. Despite increasing trade flows before the disaster, the chances of reopening the checkpoints before Tihar are slim, leaving more than 300 containers stuck in China. Goods meant for Tihar and the winter season remain stranded on the Chinese side, causing concern among businessmen.

According to customs officials, the main imports through the two northern checkpoints include apples, garlic, clothing, electronic goods, and chemical fertilizers, while exports consist of copperware, herbs, flour, ghee, handicrafts, yak feed, noodles, eggs, and other goods.

Customs data from the first two months of the current fiscal year reveals that goods worth Rs 20.49 billion were imported through these two checkpoints, while goods worth Rs 175 million were exported.

The closure of these northern checkpoints has significantly affected trade, says Suresh Shrestha, senior vice president of the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association. He noted that with no certainty of reopening the border points before Tihar, the trade of key festival items such as decorative lights and apples could be severely impacted.

If the checkpoints remain closed, it is anticipated that the prices of these goods could rise. Delays in the import of winter clothing could also lead to price hike.