The data unveiled by the Department of Customs reveal that while Nepal’s exports rose by merely 6.35 per cent to Rs 74.71 billion in fiscal year 2016-17, the country’s imports had surged by a whopping 27.02 per cent to Rs 984.07 billion.

Consequently, the country’s trade deficit in fiscal 2016-17 widened by 29.09 per cent to Rs 909.35 billion against Rs 704.46 billion in the previous fiscal.

The share of imports surged to 92.9 per cent of the total trade of Rs 1.06 trillion in fiscal year 2016-17, against its share of 91.7 per cent of the total trade of Rs 844.97 billion in fiscal 2015-16.

The import-export ratio in 2016-17 stood at 13.2 against 11 in 2015-16. This means the country imported goods worth Rs 13.20 against every export worth one rupee in the last fiscal.

Here are the trade figures at a glance:

Particulars

2015-16

2016-17

Imports

Rs 774.71bn

Rs 984.07bn

Exports

Rs 70.25bn

Rs 74.71bn

Trade deficit

Rs 704.46bn

Rs 909.35bn

Total  foreign trade

Rs 844.97bn

Rs 1.06tn

Imports-exports ratio

11

13.17

Exports share to total trade

8.3pc

7.06pc

Imports share to total trade

91.7pc

92.94pc