Diesel imports through Birgunj, Nepal's major customs checkpoint, have declined significantly due to the lack of activity in the construction sector. The Birgunj Customs Office reported a 9.41% decrease in diesel imports during the first four months of the current fiscal year, alongside a 15.16% drop in revenue, the state-run national news agency RSS reported.
In the review period, Nepal imported 246,719 kiloliters of diesel worth Rs 21.84 billion through Birgunj, compared to diesel imports worth Rs 30.17 billion during the same timeframe in the last fiscal year, RSS added.
Rabi Singh, president of the Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal, attributed the decline in diesel imports to the slowdown in construction activities.
"The government needs to revitalize the construction sector," RSS quoted Singh as saying. "Without this, capital expenditure will not increase."
Chief Customs Administrator Deepak Lamichhane told RSS that the lower imports of petroleum products, vehicles, and raw materials have significantly impacted revenue collection.
According to RSS, diesel is imported through the Motihari-Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline, while petrol is imported via tankers. During the review period, petrol imports experienced a modest increase in volume but a decline in value. A total of 142,865 kiloliters of petrol worth Rs 12.42 billion were imported, compared to 129,126 kiloliters worth Rs 13.18 billion in the same period last fiscal year.
