Kathmandu, October 29, 2026 — Nepal’s foreign trade increased sharply in the first three months of fiscal year 2025/26, with imports rising 38.18 percent and exports growing 57.03 percent despite flood- and landslide-related disruptions at two customs points on the Chinese border.
According to the Department of Customs, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 646.78 billion between mid-July and mid-October, compared with Rs 468.08 billion during the same period last fiscal year.
Flooding in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers in Rasuwa on August 26, followed by floods and landslides along the Kaligandaki and Budhigandaki rivers, disrupted road transport in northern Nepal. The closure of the Rasuwagadhi and Korala customs points, along with interruptions on major highways leading to Kathmandu, affected trade routes with China. However, overall imports continued to expand.
Monthly import figures released by the department on Wednesday show that Nepal imported goods worth Rs 187.44 billion in July, Rs 214.07 billion in August and Rs 245.27 billion in September. The department attributed the September increase to stronger market demand ahead of Dashain.
Exports also increased substantially. Nepal exported goods worth Rs 114.28 billion during the first quarter, up 57.03 percent from Rs 72.78 billion in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
Combined imports and exports pushed total foreign trade up 40.71 percent to Rs 761.07 billion. However, the much higher value of imports compared with exports resulted in a trade deficit exceeding Rs 532.49 billion.
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Crude soybean oil was the highest-value imported commodity during the quarter. Nepal imported more than Rs 50 billion worth of crude soybean oil from Argentina, China and Brazil. The country processes imported crude vegetable oil domestically and exports the refined product, making vegetable oil an important component of both import and export trade.
Fuel was another major import category. Nepal purchased 288,000 kilolitres of diesel worth Rs 47.31 billion, 181,000 kilolitres of petrol worth Rs 24.62 billion and liquefied petroleum gas worth Rs 23.18 billion. Total fuel imports reached Rs 119 billion during the three-month period, according to the department.
Imports of raw materials for vegetable oil production cost Rs 66.66 billion. Nepal also spent Rs 53.19 billion on vehicles and spare parts, Rs 42.11 billion on machinery and mechanical parts, Rs 40.84 billion on electrical equipment, Rs 39.37 billion on iron and steel, and Rs 32.75 billion on fertilisers.
Vegetable oil was also Nepal’s leading export category. Yarn ranked second, with exports worth Rs 4.97 billion. Tea, coffee and spices generated Rs 4.65 billion, while carpet-related products accounted for Rs 3.72 billion. Other major export items included jute products worth Rs 2.96 billion, large cardamom worth Rs 2.57 billion, sunflower oil worth Rs 2.53 billion and palm oil worth Rs 2.42 billion.
India remained Nepal’s largest trading partner during the first quarter. Nepal imported goods worth Rs 366 billion from India and exported goods worth Rs 95.59 billion, leaving a reported trade deficit of Rs 271 billion.
China was the second-largest trading partner, although Nepal’s exports to the country totalled only Rs 670 million. Argentina ranked third, supplying goods worth Rs 35.65 billion. Imports from Saudi Arabia amounted to Rs 11.56 billion, followed by Brazil at Rs 9.04 billion and the United States at Rs 8.93 billion.
Nepal exported goods worth Rs 6.99 billion to the United States during the same period. The customs figures indicate that the trade deficit with the US was comparatively smaller than the deficits recorded with major trading partners such as India.