Food Imports Through Birgunj Border Drop by 63% in First Quarter of FY 2083/84

Food grain imports through the Birgunj border point have dropped by approximately 63% during the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2083/84 compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. According to the Birgunj Customs Office, Nepal imported 31.64 million kilograms of food grains, including rice, maize, wheat, paddy, malt, buckwheat, and millet, between Shrawan and Ashwin of the current fiscal year. During the same period last year, total imports stood at 87.047 million kilograms. Rice imports declined to 6.77 million kilograms from 9.40 million kilograms in the corresponding period last year. The value of rice imports also fell from Rs. 898.1 million to Rs. 700 million. Similarly, paddy imports dropped significantly from 39.1 million kilograms in the first quarter of the previous fiscal year to 6.93 million kilograms in the current fiscal year's first quarter. The import value also decreased from Rs. 1.46 billion to Rs. 333.5 million. Maize imports also recorded a sharp decline, falling from 33.61 million kilograms to 6.73 million kilograms. The value of maize imports dropped from Rs. 1.80 billion to Rs. 609.8 million, according to customs data. Imports of buckwheat, millet, and other food grains also decreased. The combined import volume of these products fell from 2.34 million kilograms in the first quarter of the previous fiscal year to 1.64 million kilograms during the same period of the current fiscal year. Birgunj Customs Chief Administrator Krishna Prasad Mainali confirmed the figures, highlighting the overall decline in food grain imports through the country's major trade gateway.