Festive Supply Chain Hit due to Closure of Key Nepal–China Border Points

With the major festivals of Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath just around the corner, both of Nepal’s major land trade routes with China—Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani—have come to a complete halt, disrupting imports targeted for the festive season.

The Rasuwagadhi crossing has been closed since July 8 after a flash flood in Tibet’s Lhende Khola swept away the Friendship Bridge on the Nepal–China border. Customs officials said there is still no timeline for reopening.

Tulsi Bhattarai, a customs officer at the Rasuwagadhi Customs Office, said reconstruction work has not yet begun. “China had agreed to build a Bailey bridge, but the base constructed for the bridge was washed away by subsequent flooding, bringing the work to a standstill,” he said. Traders noted that around 70 percent of Nepal’s land trade with China passes through Rasuwagadhi. According to the Department of Customs, goods worth over Rs 85.23 billion entered Nepal through the route in the last fiscal year.

The second-largest checkpoint, Tatopani, has also been shut for about a week after a landslide in Kodari caused by heavy rainfall blocked the main road. “About 30 container trucks carrying goods—including fruits, vegetables, clothing, and electrical items, most of them for Dashain and Tihar—are stranded,” said Surya Prasad Kafle, an official at the Tatopani Customs Office. “Road clearance is under way, but continuous rain is hampering work. Even if the rain stops, it may take three to four more days to reopen the route.” Last fiscal year, imports worth Rs 50.39 billion entered Nepal through Tatopani.

Festive importers say the closures are already causing supply chain problems. “For festivals, traders usually start importing goods one to two months in advance,” said Ram Chandra Parajuli, general secretary of the Nepal Himalayan Cross-Border Commerce Association. “This year, the complete shutdown of both Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani has had a direct impact. Goods stuck at the checkpoints risk arriving late, going out of fashion, or even spoiling. That could lead to shortages in the market and drive up prices.”