KATHMANDU: In January 2024–2025, there was a little rise in the importation of petroleum products into Nepal. Petroleum imports into the nation during this time totaled Rs. 18.75 billion, which is 5% more than the Rs. 17.86 billion imported during the same period in the previous fiscal year 2023–2024. The reason for the rise was that more gasoline, aviation fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were imported than diesel and kerosene combined.
In the first month of the current fiscal year, Nepal imported 12,472 kl of aviation fuel worth Rs. 1.20 billion and 59,644 kl of gasoline worth Rs. 5.69 billion. In comparison, imports of 12,548 kl of aviation fuel valued at Rs. 1.17 billion and 56,901 kl of gasoline valued at Rs. 5.44 billion were made during the previous fiscal year. In comparison to the previous year, when 45,631 tonnes worth Rs. 3.82 billion were imported, the amount of LPG climbed dramatically by 26% to 45,735 tonnes worth Rs. 4.82 billion.
Conversely, the import of diesel and kerosene declined. The current fiscal year's first month saw 72,052 kl of diesel worth Rs. 6.98 billion and 656 kl of kerosene worth Rs. 63 million. This was a decrease from the previous year’s figures of 76,916 kl of diesel worth Rs. 7.34 billion and 1,060 kl of kerosene worth Rs. 98 million.
During the first month of the fiscal year, the nation's overall import and export volumes decreased. There was a decline of 0.67% in total imports to Rs. 128.37 billion and a 9.63% decline in exports to Rs. 12.22 billion. This fall is ascribed to the nation's economic slowdown, which is a reflection of a larger pattern of decreased economic activity.
