Nepal records Rs 649.68bn foreign trade deficit in 1st 5 months of FY 2025/26

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s foreign trade deficit during the first five months of the current fiscal year 2025/26 (mid‑July to mid‑December) has reached Rs 649.68 billion out of a total foreign trade volume of Rs 882.69 billion.

According to foreign trade statistics released by the Department of Customs, imports during the review period stood at Rs 766.18 billion, while exports totalled Rs 116.50 billion. Compared with the same period last fiscal year, imports increased by 15.83% and exports rose by 58.17%, the Department reported.

The country recorded a trade deficit of Rs 339.02 billion with India over the past five months. Imports from India amounted to Rs 434.06 billion, while exports were valued at Rs 95.04 billion. Likewise, imports from neighbouring China totalled Rs 163.73 billion, while exports to that country were limited to Rs 466.8 million.

Romania emerged as the leading country in terms of Nepal’s trade surplus, with a surplus of Rs 63.4 million. Nepal also recorded trade surpluses with Sweden and Iraq during the same period.

In terms of imports, petroleum products accounted for the largest share. The country imported diesel worth Rs 45.6 billion, petrol worth Rs 27.33 billion and cooking gas valued at Rs 22.39 billion. Other major imports included smartphones worth Rs 19.13 billion, crude soybean oil amounting to Rs 46.97 billion and iron products valued at Rs 21.84 billion.

Soya bean oil was the single largest import item, totalling Rs 46.55 billion. In addition, Nepal imported large cardamom worth Rs 5.53 billion, carpets valued at Rs 4.13 billion and sunflower oil worth Rs 3.73 billion during the review period.

By RSS