KATHMANDU, Nov 20: Revenue collection at Mustang Customs has increased due to higher imports through the Korala border. So far in the current Fiscal Year (FY), Mustang Customs has collected Rs 3.7656 billion in revenue.
In just the month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November), Rs 845.7 million was collected. Despite the onset of winter reducing cross-border movement, the border has remained operational, allowing regular import of Chinese goods, said Customs Officer Gajendra Thapa.
Chhoser-Korala road upgraded
Imported items include winter-ready clothing, raw materials, retail goods, footwear, and cosmetics. “With colder weather, imports are gradually decreasing. Not all containers loaded on the Chinese side have yet arrived here. Chinese traders are releasing containers slowly citing the cold,” Thapa said.
Currently, over 40 containers from different businesses have been imported through Mustang Customs. However, imports of electric vehicles (EVs) have decreased, with around 40 EVs still pending inspection. Shipments on the Chinese side are ready but awaiting clearance on the Nepal side.
The Korala border was increasingly used after the Rasuwa Gadhi border was blocked by floods at the end of Ashar. In winter, heavy snowfall usually shuts the border, affecting imports. Traders note that transporting goods via Korala is costlier and takes more time than through Tatopani or Rasuwa Gadhi, but it has become a necessary alternative.
Meanwhile, Tatopani Customs collected Rs 4.28 billion in revenue up to mid-November. Around 364 EVs were imported in the month, generating Rs120 million. Chinese authorities currently dispatch EVs from Tatopani only twice a week (Sundays and Wednesdays), while the remaining five days are used for containers carrying other goods.
