1,100 sheep, mountain goats transported from Tibet to Tatopani after trade opened on Friday

SINDHUPALCHOWK, Sept 30: Sheep and mountain goats from Tatopani, a major border point of the north, have started entering Nepal for Dashain and Tihar festivals. The sheep were transported to Nepal from Tibet as soon as the border opened after a week’s shutdown. A total of 1,100 sheep and mountain goats were brought to Tatopani in a day on Friday.

China had closed trade for a week for the maintenance of cracked road in Ramite area of Khasa. Keshav Raj Oli, customs officer at Tatopani dry port, said that trade was resumed after the road maintenance was completed. “Container vans are frequently leaving for Khasa to get goods,” he said. The sheep and mountain goats purchased by Nepali traders had been brought to Khasa on Thursday.

The procedure of customs clearance for importing sheep and mountain goats from the border point has been started. Oli said that the dry port customs had initiated the checking by setting the value of US$ 50 per sheep or mountain goat. Traders are bringing the sheep and goats by paying 10 percent of valuation for agriculture service charge and advance income tax. 

“The sheep and mountain goats will enter the country before Dashain,” Oli said quoting a trader.

The border point brought into operation for the transportation of containers carrying goods, is seeing an increase in the human arrival of both countries. 

The Chinese side had brought the goats from Kuti of Tibet and delivered them to the Nepali traders at Miteri Bridge, the border point. Only porters, container drivers, and assistants are allowed to enter Khasa. The immigration office issues entrance permit to these parties. Only 150 have got the entrance permit as of now.

The Tatopani border that remained shut for four years after the 2015 earthquakes had come into operation four months ago. The customs office has stated that the import trade is seeing gradual improvement. According to the customs data, a total of Rs 100 million was collected in taxes since mid-July from import of various goods. Apples, pears, ready-made garments, and consumer electronics are being imported to Nepal from the border point. In the past, the border point used to be popular for importing ready-made garments. Half of the goods imported from the border point used to be ready-made garments. Due to late start of the border point, traders have ordered very minimum amount of ready-made garments targeting the Dashain festivals.

 
• mountain_goats
 
• sheep
 
• Tatopani
 
• northern_border_point
 
• Tibet