January 29: Nepal has imported apples worth Rs 3.49 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year. From the import of apples worth Rs 3.49 billion, the government has collected a revenue of Rs 400 million during the review period.

The country imported 4,62,97,052 kilograms of apples. This shows that price of per kg apples was Rs 75 on average. As many as 4,89,99,989 kilograms of apples worth Rs 3.82 billion were imported during the same period last fiscal year. The average price of the apples was Rs 78 per kg then.

Compared to the last fiscal, import of the apples along with its price has declined. Apple import has declined by eight per cent while the price has fallen by Rs 3 per kg in the current fiscal compared to the last fiscal. Customers , however, have not felt relieved as the price has yet to come down in the domestic market.

Entrepreneur Amar Baniya from Kuleswor fruit market said that rise of domestic production of the apples had led to import fall. Baniya says that import of other fruits had fallen, in addition to apples.  Nepal imports apples from India, China and the Untied States of America.

A total of 2,92,53,638 kilograms of apples worth Rs 1.92 billion were imported from India. Likewise, country brought in 1,70,22,834 kilograms of apples worth Rs 1.57 billion from China, while import of apples from the Unites States was 20,580 kilograms worth Rs 5 million in the first six months of the current fiscal.