August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. Seed importers bring in 34 varieties of hybrid and improved varieties of vegetable seeds from India, China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and other countries. 

According to the Seed Quality Control Center, the companies have imported a total of 1.35 million kg of vegetable seeds worth Rs 433.07 million by the end of the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78). This amount is Rs 85.325 million more than last year. In the corresponding period of the previous year, a total of 100,348 kg of seeds worth Rs 347.749 million were imported. 

The center informed that more than 34 varieties of vegetable seeds including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin, carrot, onion, tomato, coriander, radish, bitter gourd and brinjal are being imported to Nepal. 

Cauliflower seed is highest imported product in Nepal with a total of 3,389 kg worth Rs 93.672 million. Similarly, according to the center, Chinese cabbage is least imported, with the import of only 32 kg amounting Rs 509,184. 

Likewise, a total of 2,810 kg of carrot seeds worth Rs 5.822 million and 53,420 kg of coriander seeds worth Rs 14.665 million have been imported. Statistics show that 2,800 kg of bitter gourd seeds worth Rs 31.99 million have been imported. Among the vegetables imported from abroad, cauliflower, cabbage, onion and coriander are the major ones. 

Horticulture Officer at the Center, Bikas Kharel, informed New Business Age that the import of vegetable seeds has been increasing as the number of farmers cultivating vegetables commercially has been increasing in Nepal recently. 

According to him, the seeds of local varieties are produced in Nepal by a limited number of companies but the seeds of hybrid varieties are imported from abroad.