July 27: The volume of agricultural products exported from the eastern border point of Kakadbhitta has increased by fourfolds compared to the import from the same customs point.

According to the Kakadbhitta quarantine office, agricultural products worth Rs 4.12 billion have been exported while goods worth Rs 10.19 million have been imported in the fiscal year 2020/21.

Meanwhile, in the fiscal year 2019/20, goods worth Rs. 5.26 billion were exported while goods worth Rs 20.99 million were imported, the data of the quarantine office shows. 

Devendra Sahu, senior crop protection officer at the office, said that the increase in the price of agricultural products in the international market contributed to the increase in exports during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that agro products like cardamom, ginger, tea and herbs like chiraito (swertia), jatamansi (spikenard), amla (Indian gooseberry), pulses and other agricultural products are being exported to India and Bangladesh through the eastern border. He said that cardamom, tea, amriso (broom grass) are the major agricultural products exported from the eastern border.