Kathmandu, Aug. 22 -- Every monsoon, Nepal's northern trade routes are disrupted by landslides and floods, blocking roads, washing away bridges and bringing cargo movement with China to a near halt.

The problem has persisted for nearly a decade, and this year is no different. The disruption comes just as Nepal enters its peak festival season, leaving traders and consumers to bear the rising costs.

The problem is partly geographic. Nepal's two main overland routes to China run through steep, unstable terrain along fast-flowing rivers. Narendra Pariyar, chief district officer of Rasuwa, describes landslides as "frequent" and the road as one that "goes on and off during monsoon".

But experts say the recurring disruptions are not simply a ...