Kathmandu. The country has imported facemasks and hand sanitizers worth over Rs 1.22 billion in nine months of the current fiscal year, 2021/22. During the period, over Rs 1.08 worth of facemasks and over 135 million worth of sanitizers were imported, according to available data.

The facemasks were imported from various 37 countries and over Rs 87 million were collected in revenue from its import. The country imported largest amounts of facemasks amounting to more than Rs 826 million from China. Similarly, facemasks worth over Rs 137 million were imported from Denmark.

Likewise, it imported facemasks from Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Estonia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, UAE, the United Kingdom, the United State of America, Vietnam and Namibia.

Similarly it imported sanitizers from various 10 countries–India, China, Bangladesh, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, UAE and US. A large amount of sanitizers worth over Rs 109 million was imported from India.