KATHMANDU: The demand for Nepali tea and coffee in the international market has been steadily rising.
According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, 77 metric tons of coffee were exported during the fiscal year 2079-80 BS (2022-23), an increase from 72 metric tons worth Rs 96 million exported in the previous fiscal year.
The Board is currently gathering data for the fiscal year 2080-81 BS (2023-24).
On the import side, coffee imports during the fiscal year 2078-79 BS (2021-22) totaled 450 metric tons valued at Rs 320 million, but this decreased significantly in the following year, amounting to Rs 100 million—around Rs 220 million less than the previous year.
Board Director Deepak Khanal said that a favorable 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 the production.
The international demand for coffee stands at around 14,000 metric tons. Commercial coffee farming is taking place in 43 districts, including Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Lalitpur, Tanahu, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Lamjung, Kaski, Gorkha, Syangja, Parbat, and Baglung.
In terms of tea exports, during the fiscal year 2078-79 BS, the value reached Rs 3.8 billion, 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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