KATHMANDU: The government of Nepal launched a portal focused on trade in a bid to provide all information on foreign trade via a single platform. The portal on trade was brought into operation under Nepal-India Regional Trade and Transit Project with the support of World Bank.
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supply Lekharaj Bhatta launched the portal named nepaltradeportal.gov.np.
The Trade and Export Promotion Centre said the portal provides information on foreign trade as a one-stop site which is a keen interest of all entrepreneurs, businesspersons, private sectors, organizations, data scientists and researchers.
The service seekers can get the information even from a mobile app NTIP.
It is believed that the website is a move to ensure transparency of information on trade as mentioned in Trade Facilitation Act (Section 1 and 2) of WTO. Detailed information are available on inception of export business, policy, rules, provision, service providers, list of exporting goods and statistics of a decade on Nepal’s foreign trade.
Similarly, the exporters can upload the list of exporting goods.
On the occasion, Minister Bhatta shared that the government was working to facilitate the private sectors for promoting their business. He urged the private sectors to come up with remedies to tackle the problems surfaced in import and export of the goods.
Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal shared that the government had brought the portal into operation to support the private sectors. He said the new portal is user-friendly and easy to operate.
The FNCCI Chair Shekhar Golchha argued that such technology will support the business community. He said the government must create a conducive environment to facilitate for export-oriented enterprises.
Nepal Chamber of Commerce Chair Rajesh Kaji Shrestha hoped that the new portal would enable everyone to gain useful information on trade and export.
According to Export Promotion Center, there seems very wide gap between import and export has reached nearly NRs. 600 billion. In the first six of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Nepal imported goods and services worth of Rs. 661 billion while export was of nearly NRs. 61 billion only.
