KATHMANDU, May 4: Traders have halted imports of large volumes of goods for the past four days, refusing to comply with the government’s mandatory maximum retail price (MRP) rule, raising concerns about possible shortages and price hikes.
The government began enforcing the rule on April 28, 2026, requiring all imported finished goods to carry MRP labels before customs clearance. The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection issued a public notice on April 13, giving importers 15 days to comply.
In response, traders stopped clearing consignments that do not meet the requirement. According to the Department of Customs, long queues of trucks loaded with imported goods have piled up at major border points.
Harihar Poudel, chief of the Bhairahawa Customs Office, said most containers remain stranded on the Indian side, while around 25 containers on the Nepali side await clearance.
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Customs offices across the country—including Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Biratnagar, Rasuwagadhi, Nepalgunj and Kakarbhitta—have refused to clear goods without MRP labels, leaving more than 1,000 containers stuck at border points since Tuesday.
However, customs authorities have continued clearing petroleum products, industrial raw materials, and perishable items such as fruits and vegetables. “Only a few consignments declared with MRP have received clearance,” Poudel said.
Traders have rejected the rule as impractical, arguing that shipments often contain thousands of items, making it difficult to label each product individually. They also say bulk cargo cannot be safely unpacked at border points for relabelling.
Importers have further warned of increased costs due to repackaging and relabelling at border points, along with potential demurrage and detention charges caused by delays.
The government, however, has remained firm, citing its commitment outlined in the 100-point action plan. Officials say the rule aims to curb practices such as under-invoicing at customs and overpricing in the market.
Amid resistance, the government last week introduced a provision allowing self-declaration of MRP. Under the revised rule, importers must declare MRP in advance and ensure proper labelling before goods reach the market.
Traders, however, say the revised provision remains unworkable, particularly for goods that arrive without proper packaging.
The government has attempted to enforce MRP requirements for more than a decade. On September 17, 2012, the Ministry of Commerce published a notice in the Nepal Gazette making price tags mandatory for daily essentials.
