Nepal imported petroleum products worth Rs 122.2 billion through the Birgunj customs, which accounts for majority of Nepal’s foreign trade, in the first eight months of the current fiscal year. The imports included diesel, petrol, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), aviation turbine fuel (ATF), and kerosene.

The import value increased by Rs 1.67 billion compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year when the imports of petroleum products totaled Rs 120.53 billion. Deepak Lamichhane, Chief Customs Administrator of Birgunj Customs Office, stated that both imports and revenue from petroleum products have risen this year.

“The increase in petroleum imports appears to be driven by infrastructure development activities,” Lamichhane said.

According to the Birgunj Customs Office, the government collected Rs 50.13 billion in revenue from imports of petroleum products in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, up from Rs 44.8 billion in the same period last year.

During this period, Nepal imported 685,991 kiloliters of diesel worth Rs 61.45 billion, generating Rs 27.31 billion in revenue. Similarly, the country imported 290,382 kiloliters of petrol worth Rs 25.3 billion, contributing Rs 16.48 billion in revenue.

LPG imports also saw an increase. Nepal imported 214.28 million kilograms of LPG worth Rs 24.5 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, generating Rs 4.5 billion in revenue. In the same period last year, LPG imports stood at 186.81 million kilograms, valued at Rs 19.52 billion. -- RSS