Smartphones worth Rs 18.98 billion imported in seven months

KATHMANDU: Nepal imported smartphones worth Rs 18.98 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

According to foreign trade data of the first seven months of the fiscal year 2024/25 released by the Department of Customs, Nepal imported 1,229,957 units of smartphones during the review period, up 9.2% from 1,126,747 units in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Nepal imported smartphones worth Rs 17.38 billion in the first seven months of 2023/24. Data shows Nepal imported smartphones worth Rs 2.27 billion in the Month of Magh (mid-January to mid-February). Chinese manufacturers continued to dominate Nepal’s smartphone market, accounting for Rs 12.99 billion of total imports in the first seven months of 2024/25. Likewise, Rs 5.82 billion worth of smartphones came from India during the period.

Xiaomi, Redmi, Oppo, RealMe and OnePlus, among others, are the leading Chinese mobile phone brands in the Nepali market.

Smartphone imports till the sixth month (mid-January) was worth Rs 16.71 billion.

Nepal imported smartphones worth Rs 28.66 billion in 2023/24, with a total of 1,839,035 units entering the country. Chinese brands led the market with imports valued at Rs 18.95 billion, while Indian smartphones accounted for Rs 9.25 billion. The government collected revenue of Rs 5.33 billion from smartphone imports during the period.