Kathmandu. With the arrival of Tihar, the demand for dry fruits like cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, dates and figs increases in the Nepali market. Whether it is to give gifts to brothers and sisters in Bhaitika or to welcome guests at home, dry fruits are becoming associated with the food and culture of Nepali festivals.
Especially during the Tihar season, there is a high demand for gift packets of dry fruits like cashews, almonds, pistachios and walnuts which are used in Vaimasala. However, to maintain this sweetness of Tihar, Nepal has released a large amount of money to other countries.
According to the data of the Customs Department, from July to October of the current fiscal year 2083/84, Nepal has imported dry fruits worth 2.47 billion 92 lakh 90 thousand rupees from various countries. This import during a period of three months shows the demand of dry fruits in the Nepali market and the dependence on the foreign market to fulfill it.
Cashew nuts and groundnuts accounted for nearly one billion
The share of cashew nuts and almonds in the import of dry fruits is significant. According to available details, cashews worth Rs 4657,26,000 and peanuts worth Rs 479,335,000 have been imported in three months. Adding the import value of these two items reaches 945 million 61 thousand rupees.
According to the department, besides the use of these items in snacks and dishes, the custom of giving them as gifts during festivals also increases the demand for them in the market. In Nepal, cashews are imported from various countries including India and Vietnam. It is mentioned in the data that peanuts come from India, China, America, Britain and other countries. Cashews and almonds are imported both with shell and shell removed.
Imports of betel nuts and walnuts are also large
Cashews and almonds are not the only dry fruits in the list. Betel nuts, walnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, dates and figs are also imported. According to the data of the customs department, 32 lakh 40 thousand 500 kg of betel nuts have been imported from July to October. During this period, 14 lakh 51 thousand 200 kg of walnuts with shell and 74 thousand 51 kg of peeled walnuts were imported.
Similarly, it is mentioned in the data that 1 thousand 412 kg of dry dates, 45 thousand 92 kg of other types of figs and 224 kg of fresh figs were imported. These data indicate the spread of consumption and trade of various types of dry fruits and nuts in the Nepali market.
Similarly, figs worth 28.9 million 28 thousand rupees have been imported in Nepal during three months. Fresh figs have been imported from India, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, while other types of figs have also been imported from India and Qatar.
Spending a large amount of money on the import of dry fruits is also a matter related to Nepal’s food trade. The data shows that even though imported goods help to meet the demand of the consumers, they have to depend on the foreign market for that. The import of dry fruits worth nearly two and a half billion rupees in three months shows that such items have an important place in the Nepali market.