Kathmandu, March 23 -- The import bill on footwear surged over two fold to Rs5.33 billion during the mid-July to mid-February period, mainly with a notable rise in imports from China. The export of Nepali footwear on the other hand, plunged by 18.2 percent to Rs726.5 million over the period.

According to the statistics of the Nepal Rastra Bank, the country imported footwear worth Rs2.12 billion during the mid-July to mid-February period of 2017-18. The whopping rise in import has been attributed largely to the rise in low cost Chinese footwear.

As per the central bank's record, the country alone imported footwear worth Rs4.47 billion from the northern neighbour in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. The import figure stoo...