KATHMANDU, JANUARY 21 Nepal recorded a trade deficit of Rs 797.48 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year 2082/83, according to data released by the Department of Customs. During the review period up to mid-January, the country's total foreign trade stood at Rs 1.081 trillion. Compared to the same period last fiscal year, total trade increased by 17.36 percent, while the trade deficit rose by 10.15 percent. Imports amounted to Rs 939.22 billion, while exports stood at only Rs 142.18 billion. Imports accounted for 86.86 percent of total trade, with exports making up just 13.14 percent. India remained Nepal's largest trading partner, with imports worth Rs 532.45 billion and exports of Rs 115.74 billion over the six-month period. The resulting trade deficit with India alone stood at Rs 416.71 billion. Nepal's trade deficit with China during the same period reached Rs 195.36 billion. Imports from China were valued at Rs 196.94 billion, while exports totaled only Rs 640.9 million. Other countries with which Nepal recorded large trade deficits include Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Thailand. Denmark topped the list of countries with which Nepal maintained a trade surplus. In the last six months, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 91.5 million from Denmark and exported Rs 510.2 million, resulting in a trade surplus of Rs 418.6 million. Nepal also recorded trade surpluses with Romania, Sweden, Iraq and Norway. Petroleum products accounted for the largest share of imports. By mid-January, Nepal imported diesel worth Rs 58.27 billion, petrol worth Rs 33.07 billion and cooking gas worth Rs 27.04 billion. Other major imports included smartphones worth Rs 23.29 billion, crude soybean oil worth Rs 57.43 billion and iron and steel products worth Rs 14.04 billion. Customs revenue collected from imports during the period stood at Rs 238.53 billion. On the export side, soybean oil topped the list with exports worth Rs 56.08 billion. Other major exports included cardamom worth Rs 7.19 billion, sunflower oil worth Rs 4.78 billion and carpets worth Rs 3.11 billion. (With inputs from RSS)