&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Nepal traders ask China to reopen Tatopani border point for festival trade")
Nepal's Himalayan Cross Border Commerce Association has asked China to reopen the Tatopani-Khasa border point, saying the crossing has remained closed on the Chinese side and left festive goods stranded during the Dashain shopping season. In a letter to Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming on Tuesday (Oct 13), the association said the Tatopani crossing remained the most viable route for cross-border trade after recent weather-related disruptions damaged other routes.
The association said hundreds of containers carrying festival-related cargo remained stranded at the border, including perishable goods, agricultural products and seasonal merchandise. It warned that delays could cause losses for small traders and contribute to shortages in Nepal's markets.
The association said authorities on the Nepali side had cleared obstacles and restored safe passage, making the road operational for customs clearance and vehicle movement.
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It urged the Chinese Embassy to coordinate with customs authorities and relevant departments in China's Tibet Autonomous Region to facilitate the reopening of the crossing and clearance of stranded vehicles and goods.
The request comes as Nepal enters Dashain, one of the country's biggest shopping periods, when demand typically rises for clothes, footwear, electronics, decorative lights and other household goods. But this year's festive supply chain has been disrupted by floods, landslides and damage to key trade routes.
The Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods on August 26 severely disrupted the Rasuwa and Tatopani routes, while heavy rainfall and landslides between September 24 and 27 further affected transportation, including the Korala route.
Customs data for the first two months of Nepal's current fiscal year, from mid-July to mid-September 2026, shows imports worth around 7.92 billion Nepali rupees through Rasuwa and 8.33 billion rupees through Mustang. Imports through Tatopani during the period stood at around 134.6 million rupees.
Mustang's share of Nepal's total imports rose from 0.31% in the first month of the fiscal year to 2.08% in the first two months, an increase of 1.77 percentage points.
After the Rasuwa route was devastated by floods, traders redirected some goods through other crossings, including Korala. But road damage following heavy rainfall has also disrupted movement there.
Ramachandra Parajuli, secretary general of the Himalayan Cross-Himalayan Border Chamber of Commerce, told WION that trade through Nepal-China land routes was now "almost at a standstill". He said the Tatopani crossing was closed by the Chinese side a few days after the floods. "The other one, Tatopani border point, which was operating and was in a healthy condition, was also closed unilaterally by the Chinese side, by the Chinese government, a few days ago or let us say three or four days after the floods."
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Parajuli said goods that normally enter Nepal through Tatopani had not been able to move into the country and called for diplomatic initiatives to reopen the crossing. "There are many perishable goods stuck there. There are many daily-consumption goods and various kinds of tools and other goods used in Nepal that are stuck there," he said. He said the government, private sector and other agencies should work together to bring the crossing back into operation.
The disruption is also being felt in Kathmandu's festive market. Shopkeepers say the usual Dashain rush has been weaker this year, with damaged roads also making it harder for customers from outside the capital to travel to Kathmandu for shopping.
Yagya Raj Bhatta, a shopkeeper, told WION the disruption had severely affected his business. "It has immensely affected our business. First, Tatopani was closed following the earthquake. Then the Rasuwa border point, which was convenient for us, was destroyed by floods. Now, there are road problems at Korala as well." He said goods from the hills had not arrived and customers from outside Kathmandu were also unable to travel for festive shopping. "Earlier, we used to do good business during Dashain, but this time it has been unusually quiet. Sales are at their lowest," he said.
