Cereals worth Rs. 70B imported in 11 months

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, June 28: Nepal has been spending billions of rupees in the import of cereals and vegetables for consumption. According to the trade statistics of the Department of Customs, the country imported cereals worth around Rs. 70 billion during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year 2021/22.

During the review period, rice and paddy worth Rs. 45.28 billion, wheat worth Rs. 6.29 billion and maize worth Rs. 17.83 billion were imported.

The import of rice and wheat slightly decreased in the review period compared to the same period last fiscal year.

Rice and paddy worth Rs. 48.14 billion and wheat worth Rs. 11.24 billion were imported in the first 11 months of the last fiscal year 2020/21.

However, the import of maize increased; the country imported maize worth Rs. 17.83 billion in the first 11 months of the fiscal year 2021/22. Maize worth Rs. 14.48 billion had been imported in the same period last fiscal year.

During the review period, millet worth Rs. 380 million and barley worth Rs. 21 million were imported.

The country imported cereals worth Rs. 73.86 billion in the first 11 months of the last fiscal year.   

Vegetables import high

In the meantime, Nepal, an agricultural country, has imported vegetables worth above Rs. 30 billion in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year.

According to the statistics, vegetables of the same value entered Nepal in the period from mid-July 2021 to mid-June 2022.

During the review period, the country imported potatoes worth Rs. 7.63 billion. Potato import has increased this year compared to last year. Potatoes worth Rs. 7.30 billion had been imported during the last fiscal year 2020/21.

Similarly, tomatoes worth Rs. 611 million and onion worth Rs. 5.90 billion have been imported during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year.

The country has imported garlic worth around Rs. 1 billion, mushrooms worth Rs. 206 million and ginger worth Rs. 172.9 million.

Dried peas worth Rs. 3.73 billion, lentils worth Rs. 4.15 billion, dried beans worth Rs. 2.64 billion and dried gram worth Rs. 3.30 billion were imported during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year.

Similarly, frozen potatoes worth Rs. 207 million and other vegetables worth around Rs. 1.35 billion were imported during the review period.