In the last financial year, the import of cooking gas through the Birganj route has decreased by 4 percent and the import of aviation fuel by 71 percent.

In the year 2079/80, 290,287 metric tons of cooking gas worth Rs. 33.13 billion was imported using the Birgunj port, Raghulal Karn, Information Officer of Birgunj Customs Office, informed that 267048 metric tons of gas worth Rs. 30 billion was imported in the last year. According to him, 11,238 metric tons less gas was imported.

According to the data provided by the Customs Office, in the previous year, 597144 kiloliters of aviation fuel worth Rs.17.31 billion were imported from Birgunj, while last year 173484 kilos worth Rs.18.21 billion were imported.

Information officer Karna said that although there was a contraction in the import of cooking gas and aviation fuel, the import of diesel and petrol, which are the most used fuels in Nepal, has increased.

He informed that the import of diesel and petrol increased by 4 percent and 2 percent last year compared to the year 2079/80 from Birgunj. The trend of increasing import of Petrol used to be 10 percent average till few years ago. The trend is also reversing.

In the year 2079/80, 10,40,500 kilos of diesel worth Rs. 113.58 billion and 389711 kilos of petrol worth Rs. 38. 24 billion were imported.

In the last year, 1083520 kiloliter of diesel and 394 723 kiloliter of petrol worth Rs.109.29 billion and Rs. 39.02 billion. According to him, 70 percent of the fuel required for Nepal is imported through the Birgunj border.