Trade through the Birgunj customs point has surged in the first 10 months of the current Fiscal Year (FY), with imports worth over Rs 506.67 billion and exports recording a sharp rise, particularly in refined soybean oil.

According to Birgunj Customs Office, imports rose by 12.75 percent compared to the same period last FY, an increase of Rs 57.3 billion. The largest import was petroleum products, totaling Rs 155.94 billion, followed by crude soybean oil worth Rs 45.79 billion.

Machinery and parts worth Rs 29.02 billion, iron and steel goods worth Rs 28.51 billion, and allopathic medicines worth Rs 23.85 billion were also among top imports.

Exports also soared by 210.16 percent, reaching Rs 79.03 billion, up from Rs 25.48 billion in the same period last year, a rise of Rs 53.55 billion.

Refined soybean oil was the top export, with 21.92 crore liters worth Rs 46.53 billion exported, a significant jump from 9.04 crore liters worth Rs 9 billion last year. Additionally, 3.52 crore liters of refined sunflower oil worth Rs 7.27 billion were exported, up from just 527 thousand liters worth Rs 100 million in the previous year.