Nepali traders are reeling from severe supply disruptions.

Cross-border trade with China through Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani has been almost paralysed for nearly four months, leaving hundreds of containers stranded on the Chinese side.

With the Miteri Bridge still under repairs after being swept away in July and China dispatching only a handful of containers daily, traders say their festive and winter goods have been stuck for months, causing huge financial losses.

“We have received no official date for the operation of the Rasuwagadhi border point, as the bridge construction is still incomplete. As for the Tatopani border, China is dispatching only three to four containers daily despite normal road conditions,” said Ram Hari Karki, president of the Nepal Trans-Himalayan Border Commerce Association.

According to Karki, a delegation from the association met with trade officials at the Chinese Embassy a few days ago, requesting an increase in the number of containers entering through Tatopani and speedy completion of the Miteri Bridge.

Traders said they were not informed why China is sending so few containers.

The association has repeatedly asked authorities to allow at least 30 to 40 containers daily, but their requests have been ignored.

Not only festive goods but also winter supplies have been delayed.

“About 10 to 15 percent of winter goods come by ship via Kolkata, but most traders, especially small ones, import their goods through the northern border points,” Karki said.

Traders said bringing goods via Kolkata takes nearly 40 days and raises transportation costs by 5 to 7 percent.

Following the association’s appeal, officials at the Chinese Embassy said they would investigate and respond after assessing the situation. However, traders said they have not heard back from the embassy since the meeting.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies said it regularly contacts Chinese authorities on the issue.

“In our recent meeting with Chinese Embassy officials last week, they informed us that a technical issue has occurred in the Miteri Bridge construction, which will take two more weeks to complete. The bridge is expected to come into operation by mid-November,” said Sita Niraula Phuyal, undersecretary at the ministry’s bilateral and regional trade division (China).

“We are continuously coordinating with the Chinese Embassy regarding trade,” she added.

On the issue of limited container movement through Tatopani, Phuyal said, “We have not received any official communication about the reduced dispatch of containers from the Tatopani side.”

According to the association, around 80 containers used to enter Nepal daily through Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani combined. Now, only three to four containers arrive each day.

Nearly 900 containers have been stranded in Khasa on the Chinese side for over three months.

Despite the prolonged disruptions, imports from China have increased by 33.39 percent, while exports have fallen by 66.14 percent in the first three months of the current fiscal year ending mid-October.

According to the Department of Customs, Nepal imported goods worth Rs104.89 billion from China during the review period, while exports amounted to only Rs186.42 million. This resulted in a trade deficit of Rs104.70 billion with China.

In the last fiscal year, Nepal imported goods worth Rs341.10 billion from China and exported goods worth Rs2.63 billion, leaving a trade deficit of Rs338.47 billion.

Nepal mainly imports readymade garments, footwear, bags, consumer electronics, and other household goods from China.

As hopes of an early resumption of trade through Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani fade, traders have turned to the Korala border point in Upper Mustang. More than 200 trucks entered Nepal through Korala in the past two months, traders said.

However, with the recent rainfall and snowfall in Mustang, the Korala border has also been closed, according to sources.

Once Nepal’s primary trade route with China, Sindhupalchok’s Tatopani border point has faced frequent disruptions since the 2015 earthquake. Seasonal landslides and poor infrastructure have made the route highly unstable, particularly along the Khasa–Tatopani stretch, which is prone to monsoon blockages.

At the Rasuwagadhi crossing in Rasuwa district, a flash flood from the Chinese side in July washed away the border bridge and damaged customs facilities. The alternative Tatopani route has also faced repeated landslides along the Araniko Highway.

China is Nepal’s largest supplier of goods during the festival season, especially garments, decorative items, and electronics, making the ongoing disruption a major blow for Nepali traders this year.