Kathmandu. In the first three months of the current fiscal year 2083/84, flickering lamps worth Rs 64.52 crore have been imported. According to the data of the Department of Customs, 28.59 lakh units of twinkling lamps have been imported till September.
In the same period of the last fiscal year, 38.92 lakh units of lamps worth Rs 59.65 crore were imported. This year, the price of imports has increased by about 8 percent, but the quantity has decreased by about 27 percent.
According to Sudarshan Prasad Poudel, former president of the Federation of Electrical Entrepreneurs of Nepal, the price of electrical appliances has increased by 15 to 20 percent due to increase in the price of raw materials, exchange rate of US dollar and transportation cost.
According to him, most of the raw materials used in the production and import of electronic goods come from China and some from India. He said that the price of materials coming from China has increased in the source market, which has affected the Nepali market.
Poudel said that the price of raw materials ranging from copper wires used in flickering lamps to plastics used in outer coverings has increased. He said, “The price of wires used in flickering lamps, copper and plastic used as wire covers has also increased. The price of most of the raw materials used in the production of materials has increased in the source market. ’
He said that the import cost has also increased due to the increase in the exchange rate of the US dollar along with the price of raw materials. “The price per unit of the source market has increased due to the increase in the dollar this year compared to the previous year and the cost of raw materials has also increased,” he said.
The increase in the cost of transportation has also made imported goods expensive. According to Poudel, the transportation cost of a container last year was $ 2,000 to $ 2,200. Now, even after paying $ 6,000, the container is not easily available. He said that when the cost of transportation increases by almost three times, its burden will ultimately be on the price of the goods purchased by the consumers.
Poudel said that the import cost has increased due to the failure to bring goods regularly through the Kerung border point with China. He said that although it is comparatively less expensive to bring goods through Kerung border point, now they have to travel through Birgunj and other customs points.
According to Poudel, although there is a demand for electronic goods in the market, the supply side has become weak. Many traders do not have sufficient stock this year compared to last year. He said that although the price has increased, the volume of transactions has not increased in the same proportion. Traders say that the price of flickering lamps will be more expensive this year than last year due to the increase in the exchange rate of raw materials, dollars, and transportation costs.
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