KATHMANDU: Nepal has witnessed a decline in the international trade by 57 percent during the lockdown.

The country witnessed international trade decline by 49 percent by April 12, 2020 compared to the same period last year. Similarly, the country witnessed the trade decline by 64 percent by May 13, 2020 to compared to the same period last year.

The international trade decline has been attributed to the closure of industries and factories in the country and the lack of labors at the custom checkpoints during the lockdown.

However, statistics show the international trade has gone up since mid-May.

The Nepal government has imported goods worth Rs 1 trillion between mid-March to mid-May. Last year in the same period, Nepal had imported goods worth Rs 2. 28 trillion.

Similarly, the trade export has also gone down. Nepal had exported goods worth Rs 8 billion between mid-March to mid-May while in the period last year goods worth Rs 17 billion had been exported.