Department of Customs Reveals Significant Increase in Smartphone Import Numbers

In a notable economic development, Nepal has experienced a substantial surge in smartphone imports, with data from the Department of Customs (DoC) indicating that the country imported smartphones worth approximately Rs 13.6 billion in the first five months of the fiscal year 2023/24.

According to the released data, a total of 902,981 units of smartphones entered Nepal between mid-July and mid-December, marking a significant increase from the 83,818 units imported during the same period in the previous fiscal year 2022/23, which amounted to Rs 11.20 billion.

The surge in smartphone imports has contributed significantly to government revenue, with a total of Rs 2.53 billion collected during the first five months of the fiscal year from this sector alone. These smartphones originated from a diverse range of 48 countries, highlighting the global nature of the industry.

China emerged as the leading contributor to the surge, with 657,188 units of smartphones, valued at Rs 9.48 billion, imported into Nepal. India followed closely, with 243,295 units of smartphones worth Rs 3.90 billion. The remaining 46 countries contributed 2,498 units of smartphones, totaling Rs 210.2 million.