Kathmandu. Nepal’s dependence on food imports has increased in recent years. According to the statistics of the first eight months of the current fiscal year 2082/83, the import of daily essentials such as rice, maize, apple and vegetables has increased significantly compared to the previous year.
According to the comparative statistics of the Department of Customs, rice (including rice, rice and basmati) has been the top import of food items during the period. Rice imports increased by 14.6 per cent to Rs 27÷.91 billion this fiscal year from Rs 24.36 billion in the first eight months of the last fiscal year. This is an increase of Rs 3.55 billion compared to the previous year.
Likewise, the import of apples has increased by 15.5 per cent in the review period. Apple worth Rs 8.11 billion was imported this year compared to Rs 7.02 billion last year. Import of maize under cereal crops has also reached Rs 7.90 billion, which is 1.02 billion (14.8 percent) more than the previous year.
The import data of potatoes and onions used daily in the kitchen is equally challenging. Potatoes worth Rs 6.79 billion were imported in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, which is 14.3 percent higher than the previous year. The highest percentage increase has been seen in onions. Import of onion increased by 19.7 percent to Rs 4.92 billion.
These figures further highlight the fact that although Nepal is an agricultural country, it has to depend on foreign markets for basic food grains. The rise in the graph of imports despite the government’s policies and claims to increase production has added a big challenge to reducing the country’s trade deficit. This increase in commodities such as rice, maize and vegetables has raised serious questions about domestic production and market management.
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