Nepal’s entrepreneurs and traders have been severely hit as China closed its borders.

“With no export orders, manufacturers and exporters are facing tough times and have started looking for other sources of income observing the situation,” Kathmandu Post said, adding that China has closed its borders after January 20. Last year, too China had closed its borders for several months due to the pandemic.

Uncertainty looms over traders as they do not have any information as to when China will open the border for economic activities.

The report noted that the “export of carpet, thanka, silver jewellery, wooden crafts, pashmina, statue among others from Thamel, Patan and Bhaktapur is almost zero” according to Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, immediate past president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce.

Nepalese exporters have also been hit by the rise in transportation costs. With no flights going to China and increased fares of chartered planes have added to the problem leading to losses.

In another report, the newspaper also said that the arrival of tourists has also fallen.

Nepalese authorities have taken up the issue with their Chinese counterparts. “We are trying to ease trade between the countries through diplomatic talks but we cannot give any dates for now,” KT quoted Dinesh Shrestha, secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies as saying.