BIRGUNJ: Even though the volume of trade at Birgunj Dry Port decreased in the last fiscal year (FY), revenue collection has increased. In the last fiscal year, the total trade from the dry port amounted to Rs 30.28 billion.

This trade volume is almost Rs 1 billion lower compared to the previous fiscal year, when the size of foreign trade from the dry port customs was Rs 31.19 billion. Despite the decline in total trade in last FY, customs revenue increased by 11.57 percent, according to Sushil Sharma, the information officer of the dry port customs.

Sharma claims that facilitation and effective management are the main reasons for the increase in revenue despite the decline in business.

According to the customs data, the dry port collected Rs 4.24 billion in the year FY 2022/23 and Rs 4.73 billion in the previous year. Sharma informed that Dry Port Customs has been ranked third among customs offices that collected the most revenue last year. ICP Customs in Birgunj and Bhairahawa took the first two places respectively, while Biratnagar Customs took the fourth place.

None of the customs offices met their specified revenue targets. The Birgunj Dry Port Customs collected only 71.75 percent of its target of Rs 6.59 billion for the last fiscal year. According to customs officials, the import of most goods decreased due to the economic slowdown last year. The import of industrial raw materials through dry port customs is significant, and a considerable amount of alcohol is also imported through this channel.

According to the customs data, there has been a decrease in the import of both iron ore and billets, the raw materials for the iron industry. However, last year, the import of coal and lighters increased significantly. Previously, coal was imported through Birgunj customs, so the coal import volume increased last year after unloading at the dry port.

Additionally, pocket lighters appeared in significant quantities last year. Customs have tightened regulations on lighters because they are smuggled from China to Nepal and then illegally exported to India.