Kathmandu. In the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s foreign trade has increased by 14.78 percent in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year 14.78. In the review period, the total foreign trade reached Rs 2.172 trillion compared to Rs 1.892 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

According to the statistics of the Department of Customs, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 1,894.9 billion in the first 11 months.This is an increase of 15.16 compared to the same period last year. In the same period last year, imports were worth Rs 1.644 trillion.

Similarly, exports increased by 12.28 per cent to Rs 277 .96 billion. Nepal had exported goods worth Rs 247.57 billion in the same period of the previous year.

The growth rate of exports is less than that of imports, but the trade deficit has increased further. In the review period, the trade deficit increased by 15.67 per cent to Rs 1,616.13 billion. In the same period of the previous year, the trade deficit was Rs. 1,397.22 billion.

The data shows that Nepal’s economy is still import-oriented. The share of import in the total foreign trade is 87.20 while the share of exports is only 12.80. The share of exports was 13.0 8 percent in the previous year but this year it has decreased.

The import-export ratio of has increased from 6.64 to 6.81 during this period. That is, for every rupee worth of exports, Nepal imports goods worth about Rs 6.81. Despite the increase in the size of foreign trade, the trade deficit is continuously widening, indicating the need for more effective policies in the promotion of production and export .