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ECONOMY |
NEPAL-CHINA TRADE As the volume of Nepal China Trade expands, the search
is on for the alternative road By A CORRESPONDENT After nearly a gap of five decades, Nepal-Tibet trade has started to grow.
Despite the hostile terrain and mountains, for long Tibet remained as one of the major
trade partner of Nepal. Although the Kathmandu-Kodari highway was built in 1970s, the volume of trade
started to increase just a few years ago following the restoration of democracy. Despite the rough road to Kodari (Tatopani), the only border point which
links China, the trade volume through the point continues to rise. Last year alone, the government collected more than 800 million rupees as
custom revenue from Kodari border point. "If the road is smooth and transaction is
less complicated, the volume between the two countries will grow much higher," said a
custom officer. As the road to Barhabise-Kodari is going to be black-topped this year,
naturally the trade volume will increase. At present, Nepal imports silk, consumer items,
electronic items and apple from Tibet. Three years ago, Nepal also imported onion from
Tibet Autonomous region. This year the government has sanctioned 10.2 million rupees for
Trishuli-Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi sector (of road) and Barhabise-Kodari part of Arniko
highway bagged 35 million rupees for renovation. Although the government has introduced new mandatory banking system to trade
with the Tibetan Autonomous region of China and Nepal, the volume of trade seems to
continue to grow. The trans Himalayan Trade Association, however, criticizes it saying that
system imposed by the government since July 16th last year is impractical and may reduce
the trade volume between the two countries. "We don't know what prompted the government to announce such system
which is against the spirit of border trade agreement between the two countries,"
said an entrepreneur who imports silk from Tibet. The officials at the central bank argue that the new system will pave the way
for business communities to import more goods from across the border. "The system of banking offers maximum flexibility to the local retailers
as it will take time to realize flexibility associated with the system," said
director of Foreign Exchange Department of Nepal Rastra Bank. Custom officials also hail the new system as more effective to carry out
export work properly. "The new regulations of banking will help increase the revenue
of the custom," said Bharat Raj Subedi, Chief of Tatopani Custom Office. According to
the Custom office, it collected more than 200 million rupees in one month period. "Tibet is now one of the major trade partner of Nepal as the country
imports more than 2 billion rupees worth of different products," said Hari Adhikary,
director of Nepal Trade Promotion Center. Nepal-Tibet trade is still dominated by retail businessmen and livelihood of
many people depend upon it. "The business of many Nepalese retailers is in jeopardy
due to the banking regulations that have been introduced by the government," charged
the Trans-Himalayan Trade Association. If the new transport route is opened, the trade volume between the two
countries will further increase as Chinese products are much cheaper than other products. Tatopani Costum Office Revenue Collection 1. 1999\2000 - 1.28 billion ruppes Export Items To Tibet Rice, lintel, noodles, egg, chicken, flour, incense sticks and herbal
products Import Items From Tibet Velvet clothes, readymade garment, TV, VCD, electronic goods, toys,
batteries, shoes, watches and Pashmina fibre |
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editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
