The United States has formally withdrawn duty-free access for 77 Nepali products under the Nepal Trade Preference Program, which was introduced in 2015 to aid post-earthquake recovery. Despite being in place for a decade, Nepal exported only 29 of the eligible products, while 48 items saw no exports at all. Trade data show inconsistent performance, with modest recent gains failing to compensate for earlier declines. The scheme’s expiry coincides with a new US policy imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on Nepali goods. Analysts cite weak product selection, low production capacity, limited awareness, and procedural complexities as reasons for underutilization.
