Phone ban seems to have worked to plan in the first four months of the current fiscal year (FY) 2079/80 as import dwindles heavily, the latest data from the Department of Customs highlights.
The extended ban on phone imports worth $300 and above and the end of the long holiday season might have blighted the phone trade which grew a bit more before and around Dashain till Chhath.
Indeed, the import figure shows a remarkable slowdown in phone import in the months from Shrawan to Kartik. It shows that Nepal imported phones worth Rs 10 billion, 10 crores, and 73 thousand. During the four months, a total of 7 lakh, 29 thousand, 7 hundred, and 95 units of phones were imported into Nepal.
On a year-to-year basis, it is a 72% drop in the number of phones that came to Nepal via legitimate channels. In the first four months of FY 2078/79, 26 lakh, 1 thousand, 7 hundred, and 80 units of pones were brought into Nepal. In total, Nepali traders spent around Rs 20 billion, 35 crores, and 86 thousand to bring the phones to Nepali stores.
Check out: MDMS Goes Live in Nepal, NTA to Block Grey Phones
China continues to be a major phone trade partner for Nepal amidst low phone import in the first four months of FY 2079/80
Nepal brings the majority of its phones from China. India, Japan, Dubai, and Australia are other partner importers. During the first four months of this FY 2079/80, Nepali traders spent Rs 7 billion, 11 crores, 99 lakh brought and brought 5 lakh, 35 thousand, 7 hundred, and 50 units of phones.
Similarly, India continues to be another major phone import partner for Nepal. Nepal spent Rs 2 billion, 67 crores, 93 lakh bringing 1 lakh, 89 thousand 6 hundred, and 42 units of phones. At the same time, 7 hundred 43 units of phones from Dubai. The US, Japan, Australia Vietnam, etc. are other countries from where Nepal buys its phones from.
Nepal has imposed a ban on phone imports to control the current liquidity crisis. In doing so, the government restricted the trade of goods including expensive phones at $300 and above. Despite the business sloping upwards, the import shows a steep fall in the first four months of this fiscal year.
Since the phone ban rules out most upper tier mid-range phones, here you can check out best phones under Rs 30000 in Nepal. You might also want to find out the list of the best phones in Nepal available under Rs 35000 with a slightly bumped specs.
Despite the government’s persistent stance, mobile phone importers continue to contest the decision calling it unfair and flawed to achieve the end goal of saving dollar reserves.
