Nepal’s export surges 89% in first quarter of FY 2025/26, but trade deficit widens too

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Oct. 27: Nepal’s export trade witnessed a remarkable growth of 89 per cent during the first three months of the current fiscal year 2025/26.

According to statistics released by the Department of Customs, the country exported goods worth Rs. 72.78 billion in the first quarter, a sharp increase from Rs. 38.37 billion recorded during the same period last fiscal year. 

The growth was largely driven by higher exports of soybean oil, palm oil, sunflower, carpets, and tea and coffee.

The country has exported soybean oil worth Rs. 30.69 billion during the first three months of the current fiscal year. 

During the review period, export of soybean oil increased by over 3,100 per cent as compared to same period last year. Soybean oil worth only Rs. 945 million had been exported during the first three months of the last fiscal year 2024/25.

Soybean oil worth Rs. 10.27 billion has been exported during a single month of Ashoj (mid-September to mid-October 2025). 

The country exported soybean oil worth Rs. 20.42 billion by mid-September of the current fiscal year.

During the review period, the share of soybean oil to the total export stands at 42 per cent during the first three months of the current fiscal year.

Similarly, sunflower oil worth Rs. 2.13 million and palm oil worth Rs. 1.91 billion were exported during the review period.  

Likewise, carpet worth Rs. 2.57 billion, tea and coffee worth Rs. 1.14 billion, cardamom worth Rs. 1.67 billion and dog chew worth Rs. 841 

million have been exported during the first three months of the current fiscal year. 

Meanwhile, country's import has also recorded a marginal growth as compared to exports during the review period of the current fiscal year.

The total value of imported goods reached Rs. 468.08 billion during the review period. 

The import trade rose by 19.79 per cent during the review month compared to import of goods worth Rs. 390.75 billion in the same month last year.

Similarly, petroleum products worth Rs. 56.301 billion have been imported during the first three months of the current fiscal year.

Diesel worth Rs. 20.69 billion, petrol worth Rs. 16.76 billion, aviation fuel worth Rs. 4.73 billion, kerosene worth Rs. 141 million and liquefied petroleum gas worth Rs. 13.98 billion were imported during the review period.

Similarly, smart phones worth Rs. 13.62 billion and electric vehicles worth Rs. 6.76 billion have been imported during the first three months of the current fiscal year.

The country's trade deficit has increased during the review period of the current fiscal year as the volume of imports has been significantly higher than exports.

According to the statistics, the trade deficit increased by 12.18 per cent to Rs. 395.30 billion during the review period. 

The country had faced a trade deficit of Rs. 352.37 billion during the first three months of the last fiscal year. 

Similarly, the country’s foreign trade volume has reached Rs. 540.86 billion during the review period which is 26.04 per cent more than the previous year.