International demand for Nepali tea, coffee on the rise

KATHMANDU: The demand for Nepali tea and coffee in the international market has been steadily increasing. According to National Tea and Coffee Development Board, 77 metric tonnes of coffee were exported during the fiscal year 2022/23, up from 72 metric tonnes worth Rs 96 million exported in the previous fiscal year. The development board is currently gathering data for the fiscal year 2023/24.

On the import side, coffee imports during the fiscal year 2021/22 totalled 450 metric tonnes valued at Rs 320 million, but this decreased significantly in the following year to Rs 100 million, around Rs 220 million less than the previous year.

Board Director Deepak Khanal stated that a favourable environment for coffee farming and the expansion of cultivation have recently boosted production. Currently, coffee is cultivated across 3,659 hectares of land, with around 33,000 farmers involved in production.

The international demand for coffee stands at around 14,000 metric tonnes. Commercial coffee farming is taking place in 43 districts, including Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Lalitpur, Tanahun, Kavrepalanchok, Sindhupalchok, Lamjung, Kaski, Gorkha, Syangja, Parbat, and Baglung.

In terms of tea exports, the value reached Rs 3.8 billion during the fiscal year 2021/22, with an increase of around Rs 140 million in the following year. The number of tea industries in the country has reached 161, employing around 60,000 workers, according to Board officer Chandra Puri.

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