As US President Donald Trump has been imposing tariffs on its trading partners worldwide, Nepal could not remain immune to it.
The Trump administration has slapped a 10 percent tariff on Nepal, a developing country in the Asia Pacific region.
Nepal exports mainly readymade garments, woolen carpets, pashmina products, leather products, pulses, handicrafts, spices and floricultural products to the United States.
In 2024, the trade between Nepal and the US was around USD 241. 4 million with Nepal exporting the goods worth around USD 120. 5 million.
Nepal's total exports to the US in November 2024 were USD 8.987 million, compared to USD 14.865 million in October 2024.
In 2023, Nepal exported goods a total of USD 1.21 million becoming 156 exporters in the world.
India ($811M), United States (USD 140 million), Germany (USD 38.8 million), China (USD 28.2 million), and United Kingdom (USD 26.4 million) are the most common destinations for exports of Nepal.
Nepal’s southern neighbor, India, was slapped with a 26 percent reciprocal tariff, which will come into effect from April 9, the White House said in a statement.
The announcement made by Trump to slap a 26 percent tariff on India was his wider plan to impose a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports from April 5.
Similarly, the Trump administration has also decided to add 34 percent reciprocal tariffs to existing 20% duties on all the goods imported from China, the northern neighbor of Nepal, to the US.
After he assumed the office as the President of the US, Trump had already levied two tranches of 10 percent additional tariffs on all Chinese imports.
Meanwhile, world leaders have criticized Trump’s move to impose tariffs as “major blow”.
The criticism comes a day after Trump announced a universal 10% tariff on all imports into the US from April 5.
Around 60 countries will be hit hard with the tariffs slapped by the US. The decision will come into effect from April 9.