Lomanthang:A total of 543 tons of fruits have been imported from China through the Korala border crossings over the past eleven days.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Quarantine Office at Lomanthang-4 Nhechung reported that the influx of Chinese fruits followed heavy rain and snowfall. The imports included 87.3 tons of apples, 16.1 tons of mangoes, and 8.316 tons of dragon fruit, as shared by Bandana Ghartimagar, a Technical Assistant at the Quarantine Office.
Since September 27, the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road has been completely blocked due to adverse weather, creating challenges in transporting these fruits to their final destinations. This delay has raised concerns about the risk of spoilage for the imported goods, which have been stuck in containers for an extended period.
Meanwhile, some of the dragon fruit that arrived in a container was distributed to locals in Jomsom, Mustang. Subas Sunuwar, a company representative, mentioned that the dragon fruit, valued at around Rs 2.4 million, was saved from rotting. He also noted that the transportation delay has led to an estimated loss of Rs 3 million.