Nepal’s foreign trade surges 26% in first quarter of FY 2025/26

Nepal’s foreign trade increased by 26% in the first three months of the fiscal year 2025/26 (2082/83), reaching NRs 540.87 billion, compared to NRs 429.13 billion during the same period last year, according to the latest trade statistics.

Imports rose by 19.79%, climbing from NRs 390.75 billion to NRs 468.08 billion, while exports surged by 89.64%, from NRs 38.38 billion to NRs 72.78 billion. Despite this strong export growth, the trade deficit widened by 12.18%, standing at NRs 395.30 billion, up from NRs 352.37 billion a year ago.

The composition of trade, however, shows signs of improvement. The share of exports in total trade increased by half from 8.94% to 13.46%, while the share of imports declined from 91.06% to 86.54%. The import-to-export ratio improved significantly, narrowing from 10.18 to 6.43, reflecting a relatively better export performance.

By customs point, Birgunj Customs Office remained Nepal’s busiest trade gateway, accounting for 46.75% of total imports (NRs 218.81 billion) and 36.18% of total exports (NRs 26.36 billion) in the first quarter. It was followed by Bhairahawa (15.30%), Biratnagar (12.55%), and Tribhuvan International Airport (11.37%) in imports.

In exports, Biratnagar Customs Office ranked second with NRs 21.66 billion (29.76%), followed by Tribhuvan International Airport (NRs 9.7 billion; 13.33%) and Bhairahawa (NRs 7.44 billion; 10.23%).