Tea exports from the Mechi Customs Office in the first quarter of the current fiscal year surged by 36 percent compared to the same period last year. Eastern Nepal, which produces the majority of the country’s tea, benefits from the Mechi Customs Office's strategic location, close to both the tea estates and the Indian market, making it a vital hub for exports.
According to the Mechi Customs Office, the country exported 6,426 metric tonnes of tea in the first three months of the current fiscal year through this customs point. Information Officer Ganapati Kandel noted that the export value rose by more than 50 percent compared to last year, totaling Rs 1.71 billion.
Chairman of the Nepal Tea Producers Association, Aditya Parajuli, attributed the increase in tea exports from Nepal to a decline in production in India. He expressed optimism that tea exports from Nepal could rise further if the government facilitates it.
In contrast, the export of cardamom decreased by 49 percent during the review period. A total of 783 metric tonnes of cardamom were exported, down from 1,525 metric tonnes in the first three months of the last fiscal year.
The Mechi Customs Office also reported impressive increase in the exports of plywood, broom grass, and veneer sheets during the first quarter. However, exports of ginger, iron, and vegetables saw a decline. -- RSS