Kathmandu. Nepal’s goods imports increased by 31.58 percent in the first two months of the current fiscal year, while exports increased by 61.86 percent. Although the growth rate of exports is higher than imports, the trade deficit has reached more than Rs 324.93 billion.

According to the Department of Customs, goods worth Rs 401.51 billion have been imported till August of the current fiscal year. In the same period of the last fiscal year, goods worth Rs 305.15 billion were imported.

Similarly, goods worth Rs 76.58 billion were exported to foreign countries in the first two months of the current fiscal year. In the first two months of the last fiscal year, goods worth Rs 47.31 billion were exported. With this, exports increased by 61.86 percent.

Although the growth rate of exports is higher than imports, the share of imports in total trade is larger, which has increased the trade deficit. According to the Department of Customs, Nepal’s trade deficit has increased by 26.02 percent to Rs 324.93 billion in the current fiscal year.

In the same period of the last fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit was Rs 257.83 billion.