April 25: Nepal witnessed an increase in export by 69.44 per cent in the first nine months of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22) as compared to the corresponding period of the last year (FY 2020/21).    
According to the data unveiled by the Department of Customs, the export of domestic products since mid-July, 2021 to mid-April was recorded at over Rs 160.57 billion against Rs 94.76 billion during the same period last year.    
Similarly, import has also increased by 31.97 per cent in the first nine months of the current fiscal year compared to last year. The imports during the review period this year stood at more than Rs 1466.66 billion against Rs 1,111.39 billion recorded during the same period of last fiscal year.    
Nepal's trade deficit went up by 28.47 per cent to over Rs 1450 billion during the first nine months of the current fiscal year against Rs 1016.62 billion during the same period of last fiscal year.    
According to the trade data of the first nine months of the current fiscal unveiled by the Department, Nepal imported petroleum products including diesel, petrol and cooking gas worth Rs 200 billion. The country imported diesel worth Rs 105 billion followed by petrol worth Rs 47.23 billion. LPG (cooking gas) worth over Rs 45.34 billion was imported during the review period.

Similarly, soybean oil worth Rs 45.58 billion, palm oil worth over Rs 32.4 billion, vaccines worth over Rs 31.85 billion and gold worth over Rs 28.54 billion were imported during the nine months.    
As per the data, goods worth over Rs 1,466 billion were imported from 162 countries during the first nine months of the current fiscal year.    
Nepal imported goods of highest amount worth Rs 917 billion from India while it exported goods worth Rs 127 billion during the nine months to the southern neighbour. Nepal's trade deficit with India during this period stood at Rs 773 billion.    
China is the second largest trade partner of Nepal. The country imported goods worth over Rs 211 billion from China whereas it exported goods worth Rs 628 million during the first nine months. Nepal has trade deficit amounting to Rs 210 billion with China.   -- RSS