Trinagar customs in Kailali reports over Rs 6 billion trade deficit in five months

Dhangadhi: Trinagar Customs, the main trade post of Sudurpaschim Province, has recorded a significant trade imbalance in the current fiscal year. In the first five months alone, the post has faced a trade deficit of Rs 6.385 billion.

According to data from the District Customs Office, Kailali, imports from Shrawan to Mangsir of fiscal year 2082/83 totaled Rs 6.849 billion, while exports reached only Rs 463.787 million. This indicates that imports are nearly 15 times higher than exports.

Petroleum products accounted for the largest share of imports, followed by food items, industrial materials, construction materials, and consumer goods. While these imports are essential for daily consumption, they have further widened the trade deficit.

On the export side, limited quantities of vegetables, liquid katha, pina, limestone, and other items are sent to India from the Trinagar border. However, their low volume has had minimal impact on the overall trade balance.

The Customs Office noted that the trade pattern at the Trinagar border has remained unchanged in recent years, with imports steadily rising and exports failing to keep pace. Yagyaraj Joshi, an officer at the Customs Office in Kailali, attributed the growing trade deficit to the lack of productive industries, insufficient export-friendly policies, and weak competitiveness of local products.