Nepal’s Foreign Trade Sees 18% Growth Amid Surge in Both Imports and Exports

Nepal’s foreign trade has grown significantly in the first ten months of the ongoing fiscal year, driven by higher export earnings and rising imports, according to new figures from the Department of Customs.

From mid-July 2024 to mid-May 2025, the country brought in goods worth Rs 1.474 trillion, a jump of over 13%compared to last year’s same period. Back then, import expenses had reached around Rs 1.3 trillion.

On the brighter side, exports have taken a strong upward turn. Nepal sold goods abroad worth Rs 217.91 billion, which is a sharp 72.71% increase from the Rs 126.17 billion recorded during the same period the previous year.

Thanks to these developments, Nepal’s overall foreign trade has expanded by 18% year-on-year, signaling greater economic activity, even though the gap between imports and exports continues.

In terms of imports, diesel topped the list as Nepal’s most expensive item, with purchases totaling Rs 102.39 billion. Other major imports included crude soybean oil at Rs 81.89 billion and petrol at Rs 53.05 billion.

Meanwhile, soybean oil and its raw forms were also Nepal’s biggest export item, earning Rs 78.75 billion. Sunflower oil followed at Rs 10.09 billion, and traditional exports like carpets and textiles brought in Rs 8.84 billion.

Despite the growing trade gap, the jump in export numbers offers a hopeful sign. It shows that Nepal is starting to find stronger markets for its products, which could help balance trade in the long run.