KATHMANDU, Nov 24: Despite relying on imports for various goods, Nepal has achieved self-sufficiency in the carpet industry. In the first four months of the current fiscal year (FY) 2023/24, the country exported carpets and floor coverings worth around Rs 4 billion.

According to the Department of Customs (DoC), the export volume of carpet from mid-July to mid-November amounted to Rs 4.58 billion. Although there were carpet imports worth Rs 138.5 million during this period, Nepal maintained a trade surplus of Rs 3.86 billion in the carpet sector.

The carpet industry has played a significant role in reducing the country's overall trade deficit. Nepal exports carpets to various countries, with the majority going to the United States. Additionally, carpets are exported to the United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait and Lebanon.

Carpets, once a leading export item of Nepal, faced a decline in recent years before experiencing resurgence. After the political changes in Tibet in 1959, many Tibetans entered Nepal. Then under a Swiss project targeting Tibetan refugees, carpet weaving was initiated here by establishing a 'Handicraft Training Center' in 1967 in a secluded area of Lalitpur.

 
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