Nepal, Feb. 23 -- Nepal spent Rs 25.12 billion on paddy and rice imports in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, including Rs 5.11 billion in the last month alone.

Records from the Department of Customs (DoC) show that the country spent Rs 110 million more on paddy and rice imports between mid-July 2025 and mid-February 2026 compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year. The increase has been attributed to a decline in domestic production caused by erratic rainfall and landslides.

Nepal has been experiencing the adverse impacts of climate change in recent years. During this year's monsoon, irregular and inadequate rainfall severely affected paddy plantations in Koshi and Madhesh provinces. In addition, incessant ...