Parsa – In the first seven months of the current fiscal year, rice worth NPR 8.68 billion, totaling 22.64 million kilograms, has been imported through the Birgunj border.

This marks a 72% increase in rice imports compared to the same period last year. In the same period of the previous fiscal year, rice worth NPR 4.91 billion and 13.18 million kilograms were imported through this border.

Amit Tiwari, the information officer of the Birgunj Customs Office, confirmed the increase in rice and rice-related imports during the current fiscal year. He stated, “Rice and rice product imports have significantly increased in the current fiscal year compared to last year.”

Although Nepal is an agricultural country, it still relies on foreign imports for rice and other grains. During the same seven-month period this year, 1.33 million kilograms of rice worth NPR 1.35 billion were imported through Birgunj. In comparison, during the same period last year, 0.81 million kilograms of rice worth NPR 1.06 billion were imported.

Furthermore, in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, 5.77 million kilograms of corn worth NPR 2.96 billion were imported through the Birgunj border. Last year, during the same period, 6.60 million kilograms of corn worth NPR 2.97 billion were imported. A slight decline in corn imports has been observed in comparison to the previous fiscal year.