Import of LPG sees a decline

KATHMANDU, March 4: The import of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has decreased in Nepal. According to officials of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), there has been a decline in LPG import by almost six percent compared to last year. The corporation estimates that the use of cooking gas may have started to decrease as consumers have become accustomed to using electricity.

According to the data of eight months of the current fiscal year released by the Department of Customs on Wednesday, the import of LPG has decreased by 19.2 million kg compared to last year, which when calculated in cylinders, comes to 1,352,112 cylinders.

The Department of Customs states that 340.86 million kgs of LPG worth Rs 38.72 billion have been imported till mid-March of the current fiscal year. During the corresponding period of last fiscal year, 360.03 million kgs of LPG worth Rs 40.64 billion were imported. This year, there has been a contraction in the import of gas by Rs 1.91 billion compared to last year.

Binitmani Upadhyaya, spokesperson for NOC, said that the import of LPG has decreased by about six percent. He said that electric stoves may have replaced LPG, which is consumed in large quantities in the city.

"It seems that a study should be done on this. Probably, it is the first time the import of gas has decreased. People must have become accustomed to using electric stoves," said spokesperson Upadhyaya,

According to the NOC, there are 12.1 million LPG cylinders in the country. “It is surprising that the import of gas, which had not decreased even during the Covid-19 pandemic, has decreased this year,” the officials of the corporation say.

Similarly, LPG dealers also say that there has been a decrease in LPG consumption in the city. Gokul Bhandari, the outgoing president of Nepal LP Gas Industry Association, said that there has been a decrease in LPG in the city compared to before.

Import of induction stoves increases

The decrease in the import of LPG and the increase in the import of induction stoves indicate that Nepali people are trying to get used to electric stoves. In the eight months of the current fiscal year, Nepal purchased an additional 104,912 induction heaters and infrared stoves than last year.

During the review period of the current year, 162,235 induction and infrared stoves worth Rs 325.9 million have been imported into Nepal. During the same period last year, 75,323 such electric stoves worth Rs 116.6 million were imported into Nepal.