BIRGUNJ: Food grain imports through the Birgunj border point declined by approximately 63 percent during the first three months of the current fiscal year 2083/84 BS compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
According to the Birgunj Customs Office, a total of 31.64 million kilograms of food grains, including rice, maize, wheat, paddy, malt, sorghum and millet, were imported from Shrawan to Asoj this fiscal year. During the same period last fiscal year, imports stood at 87.047 million kilograms.
Krishna Prasad Mainali, Chief Customs Administrator at the office, said rice imports had also declined significantly. A total of 67.73 million kilograms of rice was imported during the first three months of the current fiscal year, compared to 94.1 million kilograms in the corresponding period last year. The reported value of rice imports, however, increased from Rs. 89.81 million to Rs. 700 million.
Imports of paddy also recorded a sharp decline. During the first quarter of the previous fiscal year, 39.1 million kilograms of paddy were imported, while the volume dropped to 6.935 million kilograms during the same period this fiscal year. The value of these imports fell from Rs. 1.4628 billion to Rs. 333.35 million.
Similarly, maize imports decreased from 33.613 million kilograms in the first three months of the previous fiscal year to 6.736 million kilograms in the current fiscal year. The value of maize imports also declined from Rs. 1.813 billion to Rs. 609.8 million, according to the customs office.
Imports of buckwheat, millet and other food grains also witnessed a decline. The combined import volume of these commodities decreased from 2.342 million kilograms in the first three months of the previous fiscal year to 1.641 million kilograms during the corresponding period this fiscal year.
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