Kathmandu, December 23
Nepal has imported vegetables worth Rs. 8.59 billion in the first five months of the current
fiscal year. According to the five-month foreign trade report released by the customs
department on Thursday, Nepal buys vegetables worth an average of Rs 1.71 billion per month.
Looking at these statistics, it is seen that Nepal imports only about 60 million vegetables daily. During this period, Nepal has imported most potatoes. Rs 5.27 billion has been remitted from Nepal for the purchase of potatoes alone. Onions worth Rs 2.47 billion, turnips worth Rs 186.6 million, green garlic worth Rs 374.1 million and mushrooms worth Rs 71.7 million also entered Nepal during the period.
Beans worth Rs 14 lakh, carrots worth Rs 41 lakh, chilies worth Rs 40 million and green
vegetables worth Rs 160 million have entered Nepal, according to customs data. Similarly,
green leafy vegetables worth Rs 33.7 million have also entered Nepal. Imports of cucumber, cabbage and chili are also high. As of Mid-November this year, Nepal had imported vegetables worth Rs 6.89 billion.
The largest share of vegetables imported to Nepal is Indian products. Apart from India, green vegetables and their nuts have also entered Nepal from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Nepal has purchased potatoes worth Rs 5.16 billion from India in the first five months of the current fiscal year. Similarly, potatoes worth Rs 100 million have entered Nepal from
Bangladesh. Nepal has imported 82,000 green garlic from Pakistan and Nepal have imported red cabbage from South Korea. India accounts for a large share of vegetable imports.
By Karuna Thapa
