Increasing pressure on customs: The cost has gone up and will change in December.

The market is gradually becoming busier as Dasai, the largest celebration celebrated by the Nepalese people, draws near. Wholesalers have boosted imports while simultaneously placing more of an emphasis on domestic manufacture.

Businesspeople do, however, claim that the festival this year will cost a little extra. Businesspeople claim that since this year's imports, the cost of every goods has increased by five to ten percent. "The normal saree has increased by Rs 100 due to import," stated Umesh Lakhe, general secretary of the Nepal Textile Industry Association. In the retail market, this might result in a price increase of at least 5%.

Businessmen from outside the valley have placed more orders for wholesale items from places like Kathmandu as Dasai draws near. According to businesspeople, bulk merchandise orders are placed eight to ten days prior to Dasain. The number of customers at the retail store grows after that. Company executives claim that the week following the cut has the biggest demand.

The pressure at the customs stations has intensified as a result of Dasain's rising market demand. Due to the surge in products being imported for the festival, there has been a notable increase in imports via the customs borders of China and India.

Since August 15, around fifty vehicles and containers have entered Nepal through inspection each day, according to Rasuwa Customs Office. In the past, 12 to 15 trucks and containers would arrive every day. There are about 400 cars waiting to clear customs at the checkpoint. It took longer to pass the check because of the abrupt increase in the number of vehicles, according to Customs Director Ravindra Prasad Payakurel. "Nepali traders have been increasing the import of goods from China since the beginning of August," he stated. There has been a delay in passing the exam because of its pressure.

China is a major importer of fruits, clothing, household goods, and electrical supplies. The import of Chinese electric automobiles has also been discussed for the past few years. The fact that China has a monopoly on electric cars in the Nepali market is irrelevant. The number of electric vehicle imports has grown since August. Currently, 30 to 40 electric cars arrive in Nepal each day.

Nepal bought commodities from China valued at 24.54 billion alone in July. Goods from Nepal valued at 157.6 million made their way to the Chinese market during this time. In the same time frame, India was the source of items worth 77.68 billion rupees in imports and 7.57 billion 88 million rupees in exports.

Additionally, Bhairahwa, Biratnagar, Birganj, Nepalgunj, and other significant crossings leading into India are congested. July saw imports of products from Bhairahawa totaling 20.68 billion rupees, Birgunj at 41.51 billion rupees, and Nepalgunj with 5.59 billion rupees.

Goods worth 4.64 billion have been imported via the Rasuwa route and 4.3 billion through the Tatopani route, which connects to China. In this sense, Nepal imports the majority of its goods via land routes. The ports of Visakhapatnam and Calcutta in India are utilized for maritime transportation. 

Furthermore, merchandise is also being transported by air from China and other non-Western nations. The Tribhuvan International Customs Office alone imported commodities valued at 10.93 billion rupees in July, according to Customs Department statistics. In contrast, the customs service estimates that in August and October, the statistics of all customs points would rise by almost 30%. "The pressure on customs has increased significantly since August 15," stated Harihar Paudel, the department's director. This is solely due to the market demand that was evident during the festival.

A lot of merchandise that is intended for the holiday season came in August. The amount that will be arriving. According to businesspeople, by October 15, the commodities intended for Dasain will be imported. The majority of trading in food and clothing happens during Dasain, according to Ramhari Karki, president of the Himalayan Border Traders Association.
"About 60 percent of the business that takes place throughout the year is only in October and October," he stated. During Tihar, there is a spike in demand for gold, silver, electrical appliances, and home goods. 

Not as thrilling as it was prior to COVID-19

According to wholesaler demand, the market has not yet recovered to its pre-Covid level, according to Rajesh Kumar Agarwal, chairman of the Federation of Nepalese Industries and Commerce's industry committee.

Before Covid, bulk orders for Dasain were sent out a month in advance. It's not even close to fifty percent right now,' he remarked. However, it is not possible for it to be similar to before COVID-19. 

The Himalayan Border Traders Association's president, Karki, added that while Dasain has boosted the amount of items imported from overseas, the demand is not the same as it was a few years ago. Naturally, during holidays like Dasain Tihar, there is a rise in market demand. However, he notes that the demand has changed from the time of COVID-19. According to him, demand has decreased by roughly 15% to 20% since then.

According to businesspeople, there are a number of reasons why, even during the holiday season, the anticipated demand does not rise. Agarwal claims that conditions like youth migration and the absence of roads linking Kathmandu to the nation's major towns have also made things difficult for company owners. Even locations that were once accessible in a single day are now requiring two to three days to reach because of the route. As a result, a few businessmen have begun importing items by traveling to India. Wholesalers claim that businesspeople in the cities surrounding the Mahendra Highway find it simpler to import items from the Indian market than in Kathmandu because of the poor state of the road.