Trade Surges at Korala Border: Rs 1.78 Billion Revenue Collected in Just 15 Days

MUSTANG — The Mustang Customs Office at the northern Korala border has witnessed a massive influx of Chinese imports, collecting a staggering Rs 1.78 billion in revenue within a span of just 15 days. This sudden surge in trade volume comes as Nepal's other major northern trade routes—Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani—remain completely shut down due to severe floods in the Bhote Koshi river.

According to Customs Chief Bidur Chudal, the disruption at the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung checkpoint has redirected almost all bilateral trade traffic to the Korala pass. He noted that since early September, the customs office has been collecting a daily average of Rs 300 million. On Friday alone, the office generated Rs 271.1 million in revenue following the clearance of 71 cargo containers and 106 electric vehicles (EVs). In the 15-day period since the Rasuwagadhi border closed, a total of 434 containers and 641 EVs have entered Nepal through Mustang.

For the current fiscal year (from mid-July to early September), total revenue collection at the Korala border has already reached Rs 2.31 billion. Prior to the recent floods blocking other routes, the trade volume was significantly lower, with only 133 containers and 163 EVs crossing the border in the initial weeks of the fiscal year.

Historically, the Korala pass at Lo Manthang-4 was open year-round strictly for the local residents of Upper Mustang. However, the government officially designated it as an alternative commercial trade route in September last year after similar weather-induced road blockades crippled the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi checkpoints. In the last fiscal year, the Mustang customs point recorded imports worth Rs 14.41 billion and exports worth Rs 205 million, generating Rs 6.92 billion in total revenue while clearing 3,223 EVs and 1,873 containers.