Fruit imports worth Rs 400 million in four months

JHAPA: Fruits worth Rs 404.44 million have been imported through the eastern border checkpoint at Kakarbhitta over the past four months.

Apples, bananas, oranges, mangoes, and other varieties were imported during the first four months of the current fiscal year 2082/83.

In the same period of the previous fiscal year 2024/25, fruit imports through the checkpoint amounted to Rs 213.55 million, according to Mechi Customs Office Information Officer Ishwar Kumar Humagain.

This represents an increase of Rs 198.95 million in fruit imports this fiscal year. Nepal imports fruits primarily from India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, China, the Philippines, the United States, and South Korea. Based on a comparative list of the top 10 goods imported through Kankarbhitta, fruits rank fifth.

Information Officer Humagain also noted that revenue collection in Kartik of the current fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26) fell short of the target. The customs office had set a revenue collection goal of Rs 1.63 billion and Rs 9.461 billion for different categories in Kartik; however, only Rs 1.30 billion and Rs 8.189 billion were collected during the period.