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Nepal imported goods worth Rs 434. 43 billion from India via Birgunj in the last 11 months of the current fiscal year 2024/25.

According to Deepak Lamichhane, the Chief Customs Administrator of the Birgunj Customs Office, the majority of import and export through this border is with the neighbouring country, India.

Argentina comes in second place after India in terms of imports through this check point. 

Many goods and commodities are imported from Argentina. 

In the current fiscal year, goods and commodities worth Rs 46.74 billion have been imported from Argentina. The share of goods imported from that country is 8.27 percent.

Similarly, goods worth Rs 28.86 billion have been imported from the northern neighbour China during the same period. The share of imports from China is 1.22 percent.

In the 11 months of the current fiscal year, goods and products worth Rs 565. 42 billion  have been imported from 50 countries at the Birgunj border.

Similarly, goods and items worth Rs 91. 51 billion have been exported to foreign countries through the Birgunj border in the last 11 months of the current fiscal year. During this period, goods and items worth Rs. 86. 97 billion  have been exported to India through this border. This volume of export to India comprises 95.05 percent of total export trade volume through Birgunj customs. 

America comes in second place in terms of volume of exports through Birgunj during the same period. 

Goods and products worth Rs 2.18 billion have been exported to America, which is 2.38 percent of total exports.

Similarly, goods worth Rs 680 million have also been exported to Afghanistan through this border customs checkpoint during the same period.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 11. 99 points to close at 2,634. 27 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 2. 70 points to close at 451. 30 points.

A total of 14,172,535-unit shares of 318 companies were traded for Rs 6. 38 billion.

Meanwhile, Rapti Hydro And General Construction Limited (RHGCL) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 9. 97 percent.

Likewise, Panchakanya Mai Hydropower Ltd (PMHPL) was the top loser as its price fell by 4. 92 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 48 trillion.

The Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly promote trade, investment, and cross-border business engagement.

The agreement, signed in New Delhi by NICCI President Sunil KC and FICCI Director General Jyoti Vij, aims to institutionalize cooperation between the two apex industry bodies through the exchange of business delegations, information sharing, and joint promotional events. Under the terms of the MoU, both organizations have agreed to facilitate reciprocal participation of business representatives in trade missions, investment forums, fairs, and exhibitions held in each country. 

NICCI will remain as a Nepal partner for FICCI in Nepal and FICCI will remain as an Indian partner on an exclusive basis for India, according to the understanding. The two sides will also regularly share non-confidential publications and data relevant to trade and investment prospects. 

“We will organize at least one major joint event every year and facilitate the exchange of business delegations between Nepal and India,” said Sunil KC, president of NICCI. “Our partnership will also include joint studies, market surveys, and publication exchanges focused on identifying emerging areas of mutual economic interest.” 

FICCI Director General Jyoti Vij echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the shared responsibility of both institutions in fostering closer economic ties.

 “As leading business organizations in our respective countries, both FICCI and NICCI are committed to strengthening the trade and investment relationship between India and Nepal,” she said. 

The MoU marks a formal step toward reinforcing long-standing economic interdependence between the two neighbors, with both organizations pledging to work closely to unlock the potential of untapped sectors and address challenges faced by businesses operating across borders. 

Both the chambers will work beyond India and Nepal like in BBIN, BIMSTEC and NICCI members will utilize all the resources and networks of FICCI in expanding Nepal’s business and economy, according to the MoU.

 “Our partnership is not limited to only bilateral trade and economic relations, it’s beyond that,” NICCI president KC said. “We are also going to establish NICCI-FICCI track 1.5 initiative to promote the bilateral investments, where both FICCI Members and both governments’ members will be a part of the initiative to foster the investments and bridging the 1990s investment gaps.” 

Despite a notable increase in rice production this fiscal year, Nepal continues to face a significant rice deficit, with over 1m metric tons still required to meet the country’s total demand. The government’s pledge of achieving self-reliance in rice is increasingly being challenged by the reality of soaring imports and regional disparities in cultivation.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, a total of 5.955m metric tons of rice were produced in the current fiscal year 2024/25, cultivated across 1.420m hectares of land. While the area under cultivation was 1.28 percent less than the previous year, overall production rose by 4.04 percent, marking the highest average productivity to date.

Nepal’s annual rice requirement stands at approximately 7m metric tons, leaving a gap of around 1m metric tons. This shortfall has led to a steep rise in rice imports. From July to May, the country imported paddy and rice worth over Rs 38.94bn, according to the Department of Customs.

These figures surface just as the government celebrates the 22nd National Rice Day on 29 June under the slogan “Intensification in Rice Crops: Food Security and Self-Reliance.” Critics argue the slogan contrasts sharply with the ground realities, as imports continue to undermine the self-sufficiency narrative.

Nepal imports rice from multiple countries, including the United States, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Italy, Britain, and Namibia.

To address this persistent gap, the government has introduced a targeted initiative for the next fiscal year 2025/26, aiming to scale up Chaite rice cultivation in 22 Tarai districts with a budget of Rs. 330m. The objective is to boost production by an additional 1.2m metric tons, increasing the Chaite rice cultivated area from 110,000 to 200,000 hectares.

Regional planting patterns show varying progress. In Koshi Province, paddy planting had reached 14.25 percent by the second week of Asad, slightly up from 13.71 percent in the same period last year. According to Sharan Kumar Pandey, secretary at the provincial agriculture ministry, 826,646 hectares are cultivable, with 39,387 hectares already planted.

In Karnali Province, paddy cultivation remains limited due to geographical and irrigation constraints. Only 9.52 percent of land is cultivable, and just 39,636 hectares are used for rice farming. Still, officials expect an improvement in yields due to timely rainfall this year.

The Sudurpaschim Province shows relatively strong progress, with 45 percent of rice planting completed by mid-Asad across 176,151 hectares. In contrast, Madhes Province, which contributes around 25 percent to national rice production, is lagging behind due to delayed monsoon rains, with only 10 percent of planting completed.

Gandaki Province also reported a dip in rice production. This year, 379,032 metric tons were harvested across 97,959 hectares, compared to 391,624 metric tons the previous year. Urbanization, especially in Kaski, has reduced both the area and productivity, causing an annual rice deficit of over 120,000 metric tons in the district.

As the government pushes for greater agricultural output and rice self-sufficiency, experts emphasize the need for better irrigation, subsidies, mechanization, and post-harvest infrastructure. Without substantial changes, Nepal’s dependency on rice imports is unlikely to end soon—raising questions about the effectiveness of current agricultural policies.