KATHMANDU: Nepal, in its 56th day of lockdown, has recorded import of raw materials of medicines, and readymade medicine worth around Rs 3 billion.

The federal government ordered a nationwide lockdown since March 24 to prevent and control COVID-19.

During this course, as per the statistics of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, the raw materials worth Rs 2.71 billion have been imported since the lockdown while readymade drugs worth Rs 610 million was procured.

A spokesperson at the Ministry, Urmila KC, shared that there has been an increase in the import of food items since the lockdown apart from the drugs.

She informed that 183,923 metric tonnes of food items have been imported since the stay-at-home order.

Similarly, pulses weighing around 51,832 metric tonnes have been imported while 69,255 metric tonnes of vegetables procured so far. Currently, food items, as well as other essential supplies, are being brought to Nepal from all checkpoints except Rasuwagadhi, according to the Ministry.