Kathmandu, Aug. 26
Remittance inflows has
broken all previous records to reach Rs. 2363.13 billion in the Fiscal Year
2025/26, with an annual increase of 37.1 per cent. In the FY 2024/25, the
country received remittance Rs. 1723.27 billion which was an increase of 19.2
per cent compared to the previous year.
In the last month of
the last fiscal, mid-June to mid-July, remittance inflows stood at Rs. 242.33
billion against Rs. 189.11 billion during the same period a year ago.
Net secondary income
(net transfer) reached Rs. 2581.53 billion in 2025/26 compared to Rs. 1874.30
billion in the previous year, the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) stated in its annual Macroeconomic and Financial Situation report published on Wednesday.
The number of Nepali
workers, both institutional and individual, taking first-time approval for foreign
employment stands at 406,519 and taking approval for renewal of entry stands at
385,783. In the previous year, such numbers were 505,957 and 333,309
respectively.
Meanwhile, gross foreign exchange reserves increased by 45.6 per cent to Rs. 3897.67
billion in mid-July 2026 from Rs. 2677.68 billion in mid-July 2025. In US
dollar terms, foreign exchange reserves increased to 25.31 billion from 19.50
billion within a year.
Of the total foreign exchange reserves, the
reserves held by the NRB increased by 43.8 per cent to Rs. 3473.19 billion from
Rs. 2414.64 billion. Reserves held by banks and financial institutions
increased by 61.4 percent to Rs. 424.48 billion from Rs. 263.04 billion. The
share of Indian currency in total reserves stood at 22.3 per cent in mid-July
2026.
The NRB informed that based on the imports
of 2025/26, the foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector is sufficient
to cover the prospective merchandise imports of 23 months, and merchandise and
services imports of 19.6 months.
Inflation climbs to
5.14 per cent
According to the
central bank, consumer inflation more than doubled by the end of the last year.
The year-on-year consumer price inflation stood at 5.14
per cent in mid-July 2026 compared to 2.20 per cent a year ago. The annual
average consumer price inflation stood at 3.08 per cent in FY 2025/26 compared
to 4.06 per cent a year ago.
Under the food and beverage category, the
annual average consumer price index of ghee and oil sub-category increased
10.05 per cent, fruit 7.09 per cent, and non-alcoholic drinks 3.28 per cent
while the annual average consumer price index of vegetable decreased 3.95 per cent,
spices 3.66 per cent and pulses and legumes 3.41 per cent.
Likewise, under the non-food and services
category, the annual average consumer price index of miscellaneous goods and
services sub-category increased 17.61 percent, education 7.04 per cent,
transportation 5.80 per cent and clothes and footwear 5.56 per cent.
In terms of region, the annual average
consumer price inflation of FY 2025/26 in the Kathmandu Valley was 3.16 per cent,
Terai 3.28 per cent, Hill 2.81 per cent and Mountain 2.73 per cent.
respectively.
The annual average consumer price inflation
in rural areas was 2.65 per cent while it was 3.22 per cent in urban areas. In
mid-July 2026, the y-o-y consumer price inflation in rural areas increased by
4.99 per cent while in urban areas, it rose by 5.19 per cent.
Based on provinces, the annual average
consumer price inflation in Koshi was 3.77 per cent, Madhesh 3.65 percent,
Bagmati 2.79 per cent, Gandaki 2.59 per cent, Lumbini 3.29 per cent, Karnali
2.60 per cent, and Sudurpashchim 2.05 per cent.
Published in The Rising Nepal on 27 August 2026.
