Import of agricultural goods higher than country’s total export

By Laxman Kafle,Kathmandu, Dec. 3: Even though Nepal is an agricultural country, the import of agricultural goods is amounts higher than country’s total export. According to the statistics of the Department of Customs, the country has imported agriculture products worth Rs. 85 billion during the first four months of the current fiscal year 2023/24, which is almost Rs. 35 billion more than the total export of the nation.

Goods only worth Rs. 50.56 billion were exported during the first four months of the current fiscal year. During the review period, the country’s export has decreased by 7.68 per cent as compared to the same period last year. It is ironic that the import of agricultural products in Nepal is almost twice the total export in from the country. 

However, the import of agricultural goods has been reduced during the first four months of the current fiscal year as compared to the same period last fiscal year. The country imported goods worth Rs. 97.19 billion during the first four months of the last fiscal year 2022/23. Agricultural goods worth Rs. 296.30 billion had been imported during the last fiscal year 2022/23.

During the first four months of the current fiscal year, the country has exported agricultural goods worth Rs. 15.45 billion. Among the export items under agricultural goods, vegetables worth Rs. 179 million, large cardamom wroth Rs. 2.15 billion, tea and coffee worth Rs. 1.45 billion and edible oil (sunflower, palm oil and soybean oil) worth Rs. 2.16 billion have been exported during the review period. Similarly, dog and cat foods worth Rs. 978 million have been exported during the review period.

Vegetables, lentils worth Rs. 12 B imported

The country has imported vegetables and lentils worth above Rs. 11.8 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year. According to the statistics, vegetables of the same value entered Nepal in the period from mid-July 2023 to mid-November 2023.

During the review period, the country imported potatoes worth Rs. 3.32 billion. 

Similarly, tomatoes worth Rs. 367 million and onions worth Rs. 1.64 billion have been imported during the review period of the current fiscal year. The country has imported garlic worth Rs. 397 million, dried chickpeas worth Rs. 1.57 billion and dried beans worth Rs. 1.33 billion. Similarly, red lentils worth Rs. 2.19 billion was imported during the review period.

Cereals worth Rs. 13.16 B imported

Meanwhile, the country imported cereals worth around Rs. 13.16 billion during the first four months of the current fiscal year 2021/22. The import of cereals has increased during the review period as compared to the same period last year.

The country imported cereals worth Rs. 11.83 billion during the first four months of the last fiscal year. Among all cereals imported, paddy and rice make up the largest amount. The country imported rice and paddy worth Rs. 6.08 billion during the first four months of the current fiscal year. 

Paddy and rice worth Rs. 6.77 billion were imported during the same period last fiscal year.

The import of paddy has significantly increased during the review period as compared to the same period last year. Paddy worth Rs. 2.93 billion has been imported in the first four months of the current fiscal year while paddy worth Rs. 847 million had been imported in the corresponding period of last fiscal year.

During the review period, wheat worth Rs. 3.44 billion and maize worth Rs. 3.33 billion were imported. The millet worth Rs. 274 million, buckwheat worth Rs. 10 million and barley worth Rs. 7.6 million were imported during the review period.

Fruit import recorded at Rs. 6.17 B

During the review period of the current fiscal year, fruits worth Rs. 6.17 billion have been imported. 

The country has imported fruits, including banana, apple, guava, mango, orange, grapes, papaya and pomegranate, among others, worth Rs. 6.17 billion during the first four months of the current fiscal year.

Among the fruits imported, apple import was the highest during the review period. According to the Department of Customs, about 33,340,140 kg of apples worth Rs. 3.26 billion have been imported during the review period.

The country has imported guavas and mangoes worth Rs. 335 million, oranges worth Rs. 458 million, lemons worth Rs. 222 million, grapes worth Rs. 57 million and pomegranates worth Rs. 413 million during the review period.