Paddy, rice import increases by 54%

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 31: The import of paddy and rice increased significantly during the first five months of the current fiscal year 2024/25.

According to the trade statistics of the Department of Customs, the import of paddy and rice has increased by 54 per cent during the review period compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year 2023/24.

The country imported rice and paddy worth Rs. 12.78 billion during the first five months of the current fiscal year while paddy and rice worth Rs. 8.28 billion were imported during the same period last fiscal year.

Around 163,701 tonnes of paddy worth Rs. 6.05 billion has been imported in the first five months of the current fiscal year while 110,555 tonnes of paddy worth Rs. 4.09 billion was imported in the first five months of the last fiscal year 2023/24.

In the meantime, the country imported 79,411 tonnes of rice worth Rs. 6.73 billion in the first five months of the current fiscal year. In the corresponding period last year, 42,152 tonnes of rice worth Rs. 4.19 billion was imported.

The statistics show that the import of rice has increased by 60 per cent and paddy by 48 per cent during the review period as compared to the same period last fiscal year.

Similarly, the import of maize increased during the review period. 

Around 105,700 tonnes of maize worth Rs. 5.36 billion has been imported. This is 8 per cent higher than the import of maize during the first five months of the last fiscal year. 

However, in terms of quantity, the import of maize has decreased during the review period.

The country had imported 120,129 tonnes of maize worth Rs. 4.95 billion during the first five months of the last fiscal year. 

The country imported 286 tonnes of barley worth Rs. 12 million during the review period while the import during the same period last fiscal year amounted Rs. 8.9 million. Similarly, 698 tonnes of buckwheat worth Rs. 53 million was imported during the review period.

Wheat import drops 

However, the import of wheat has decreased significantly during the first five months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period last fiscal year. 

The country imported 1,491 tonnes of wheat worth Rs. 71 million during the review period.   The import of wheat decreased by 98.35 per cent during the review period as compared to the same period last fiscal year. Around 107,490 tonnes of wheat worth Rs. 4.31 billion was imported during the first five months of the last fiscal year.

Similarly, the country has imported 8,443 tonnes of millet worth Rs. 423 million during the review period. Around 6,977 tonnes of millet worth Rs. 341 million had been imported during the first five months of the last fiscal year.