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By Our Reporter

Nepal is an agrarian country and until three decades ago, the country used to export rice. But now, it imports a large quantity of rice and other food items to meet domestic needs. Although every government formed over the years claimed that they give priority to agriculture, the situation has not improved, instead, it has worsened. The figure of ever-rising food imports is a testimony to this.

The import of agricultural goods continues to outpace its total exports, with a 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 in the first seven months of this fiscal against the export 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 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.

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 imported, paddy and rice topped the list.

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

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.

Similarly, imports of crude soybean and sunflower oil have increased this year. 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 were imported.

The country has imported vegetables and lentils worth above Rs. 25.87 billion in the last seven months. The country imported potatoes worth Rs. 5.49 billion, tomatoes worth Rs. 418 million and onions worth Rs. 2.14 billion. Likewise, 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.

Fruits worth Rs. 9.5 billion have been imported since mid-July 2024

The country has imported fruits, including bananas, apples, guava, mangoes, oranges, grapes, papaya and pomegranate 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. According to the Department of Customs, about 46,660,558 kg of apples worth Rs. 5 billion have been imported during the review period.