Nepal's agriculture imports exceed total export in first seven months

Kathmandu, Feb. 26: Despite being an agricultural country, the imsport of agricultural goods is recorded higher than the total export. 

Nepal's imports of agricultural goods continue to outpace its exports, with a significant gap of Rs. 78 billion recorded in the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2024/25. 

According to the Department of Customs, Nepal imported agricultural products worth Rs. 205 billion during this period, far exceeding the total exports of Rs. 127 billion.

The data shows a remarkable rise in imports, with agricultural goods imported in the first seven months of the current fiscal year increasing by 36.6 per cent compared to the same period in the last fiscal year. 

Nepal imported agricultural products worth Rs. 150 billion during the first seven months of the last fiscal year.

Despite the growth in imports, Nepal's export performance also saw a notable boost, rising by 46 per cent in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period last fiscal year.  

The country exported goods worth Rs. 86.83 billion during the first seven months of the last fiscal year.

However, the export value still lags significantly behind the imports, underscoring an ongoing imbalance in the trade of agricultural goods.

Agricultural goods worth Rs. 256.75 billion had been imported in the last fiscal year 2023/24 and Rs. 296.30 billion in the last fiscal year 2022/23.

Cereals worth Rs. 36.35 billion imported

Meanwhile, the country imported cereals worth around Rs. 36.35 billion during the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2024/25.

The import of cereals has increased by 32 per cent during the review 

period as compared to the same period last year.

The country imported cereals worth Rs. 28.20 billion during the first seven months of the last fiscal year 2023/24.

Among all cereals, the highest amount of paddy and rice has been imported during the review period.

The country imported rice and paddy worth Rs. 25.37 billion during the first seven months of the current fiscal year. Paddy and rice worth Rs. 13.10 billion imported during the same period last fiscal year.

During the review period, wheat worth Rs. 268 million and maize worth Rs. 10.07 billion were imported.

The millet worth Rs. 520 million, buckwheat worth Rs. 94 million and barley worth Rs. 18 million were imported during the review period.

Crude soybean, sunflower oil imports rise

Similarly, imports of crude soybean and sunflower oil have increased during the review period as compared to same period last fiscal year which led to significant increase in import of overall agricultural products.

The county has imported crude soybean oil worth Rs. 38.34 billion and sunflower oil worth Rs. 17.33 billion during the first seven months of the current fiscal year. During the first seven months of the last fiscal year, crude soybean oil worth Rs. 8.57 billion and sunflower oil worth Rs. 9.69 billion had been imported. 

The import of crude soybean oil increased almost by 450 per cent and sunflower oil by 79 per cent during the review period as compared to same period last fiscal year. 

The country imported crude palm oil worth Rs. 7.23 billion during the review period.

Vegetables, lentils worth Rs. 26 billion imported

The country has imported vegetables and lentils worth above Rs. 25.87 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. According to the statistics, vegetables of the same value entered Nepal in the period from mid-July 2024 to mid-February 2025. 

During the review period, the country imported potatoes worth Rs. 5.49 billion. Similarly, tomatoes worth Rs. 418 million and onions worth Rs. 2.14 billion have been imported during the review period of the current fiscal year.

The country has imported garlic worth Rs 6.26 billion, dried chickpeas worth Rs. 1.81 billion and dried beans worth Rs. 2.57 billion.Similarly, red lentils worth Rs. 3.97 billion were imported during the review period.

Fruits import amount Rs. 9.5 

billion

During the review period of the current fiscal year, fruits worth Rs. 9.5 billion have been imported.

The country has imported fruits, including bananas, apples, guavas, mangoes, oranges, grapes, papayas and pomegranates, among others, worth Rs. 9.44 billion during the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

Among the fruits imported, apple imports were the highest during the review period.

According to the Department of Customs, about 46,660,558 kgs of apples worth Rs. 5 billion have been imported during the review period.

The country has imported orange worth Rs. 592 million, guavas and mangoes worth Rs. 491 million, lemons worth Rs. 278 million, grapes worth Rs. 501 million and pomegranates worth Rs. 509 million during the review period.