Demand for Nepali tea and coffee in the international market has been steadily increasing.

According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, coffee exports reached 77 metric tons during the fiscal year 2022-23, up from 72 metric tons worth Rs 96 million in the previous fiscal year. The board is currently collecting data for fiscal year 2023-24.

On the import side, Nepal imported 450 metric tons of coffee valued at Rs 320 million in fiscal year 2021-22. This figure dropped significantly the following year, with imports totaling only Rs 100 million—a decrease of approximately Rs 220 million.

The board’s Director Deepak Khanal noted that favorable conditions and expanded cultivation have recently boosted coffee production. Coffee is currently grown on 3,659 hectares, involving about 33,000 farmers.

International demand for Nepali coffee is around 14,000 metric tons. Commercial coffee farming spans 43 districts, including Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Lalitpur, Tanahu, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Lamjung, Kaski, Gorkha, Syangja, Parbat, and Baglung.

Regarding tea exports, the value reached Rs 3.8 billion in fiscal year 2021-22, increasing by around Rs 140 million the following year. Nepal now has 161 tea industries, employing approximately 60,000 workers, according to board’s officer Chandra Puri. -- RSS