Birgunj Customs Office, one of Nepal’s main trade gateways, collected Rs26.73 billion in revenue from mid-September to mid-October, exceeding its monthly target of Rs26.46 billion.

According to the office’s records, it collected Rs26.7258 billion during the month, surpassing its target by around 1 percent.

Krishna Prasad Mainali, chief customs administrator at the office, said revenue collection reached 101 percent of the monthly target. Higher demand for goods during Nepal’s major festivals, Dashain, Tihar and Chhath, boosted imports, while measures to expedite customs clearance also helped improve collections, he said.

For the current fiscal year, the Department of Customs has set a nationwide revenue target of Rs628 billion across all customs offices. Birgunj has been assigned an annual target of Rs294 billion, accounting for 46.82 percent of the department’s overall goal.

By mid-September, Birgunj Customs had collected revenue equivalent to 11.01 percent of the department’s nationwide annual target, according to the report.

Revenue collection at Birgunj is driven largely by a handful of imported goods, including fuel, new vehicles, iron and iron products, alcoholic beverages and industrial raw materials, the office said.

Higher imports of new vehicles and liquor ahead of the festival season have directly contributed to the increase in customs revenue.