KATHMANDU, June 10: The Mustang Customs Office (MCO) located in Lomanthang-1 Nhechung in Upper Mustang collected customs revenue worth Rs 6.66 in eight months of its operation.
Chief of the MCO Bidur Chundal informed that the customs revenue was largely collected from the import of electric vehicles (EV) vehicles, festive clothing, cosmetics, electronic goods and other goods imported from China through the Korla border. A total of 2,997 electric vehicles entered Nepal from this land-based bilateral trade route after it came online in mid-September.
Diversifying Government Revenue
Likewise, the customs point collected Rs 205.57 million from the goods exported to China from Nepal. Handicrafts and agricultural products were recorded as the major exports to the northern neighbor.
There was an additional revenue collection of Rs 930 million from the bilateral trade route in the past one and a half months. According to the government record, the revenue collection at the MCO as of mid-April was recorded at Rs 5.73 billion.
The Korala checkpoint emerged as a key alternative trade route after major disruptions at other land trade routes connecting China. Floods in Rasuwagadhi in late June and landslides at Tatopani in July had forced the closure of those crossings, prompting increased reliance on Korala for trade.
