August 2: Birgunj Customs Office has once again maintained its reputation as the main customs point of the country with maximum export during the last fiscal year.

In FY 2019/20, export from this customs point was 32 percent of the total export of the country.

Birgunj Customs Office informed that goods worth Rs 32.27 billion were exported from this customs point during the review period. The export from this point was worth Rs 24.53 billion in the previous year.

The total export of Nepal during the last fiscal year was Rs 97.70 billion.

Information Officer at the customs office, Bimal Sah, told New Business Age that the major export product from this customs point during the review period was refined palm  oil.

“During the last fiscal year, 107,535 metric tons of refined palm oil worth Rs 11.72 billion was exported from here,” said Sah.

The export of palm oil during last fiscal year was almost double the amount of the previous year. In Fiscal Year 2018/19, a total of 57,576 metric tons of refined palm oil was exported from the  same customs point. Altogether 14 oil refinery industries had been exporting palm oil from Birgunj. However, the export of palm oil has come to a halt since the last three months due to a ban imposed by India.

Other products exported from here is significant quantity includes juice, jam, soybean oil, synthetic yarn, sports shoes, toothpaste among others.

The Department of Customs informed that Birgunj Customs Office is responsible for overall 33 percent of export from the country. Biratnagar comes second at 29 percent followed by Tribhuvan International Airport (20 percent).

Birgunj is also ahead of other customs points in import. Out of imports worth Rs 1196.79 billion, Birgunj Customs Points is alone responsible for import of Rs 413.39 billion, which is 34 percent of the total import.