Possibility of tea cultivation in Karnali discussed

Karnali, Jan. 7: A provincial level discussion was held on the feasibility of tea and coffee farming in Karnali. The discussion in Birendranagar on Friday was organized by the National Tea and Coffee Development Board in coordination with Siddhartha Multipurpose Cooperatives Limited Surkhet.

Speaking at the programme, Minister of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Karnali, Bhim Prakash Sharma, said that there is great potential for tea and coffee cultivation in Karnali and requested the Board to provide technical human resources for the same.

Members of the Karnali Provincial Assembly, Bindaman Bista and Ghanashyam Bhandari, expressed displeasure that tea and coffee farming was not promoted in Karnali like in other provinces. 

Mohan Kumar Acharya, a coffee farmer from Barahtal Rural Municipality-3, Surkhet, said that due to lack of technical knowledge the coffee plants had to be removed while the harvested coffee could not be sold.

Executive Director of the Board, Dr. Bishnu Prasad Bhattarai, said that there is great potential for tea and coffee in Karnali and called for coordination and cooperation between the provincial and federal governments under the leadership of all local levels for making it a reality.

Chief of Tea and Coffee Development Board Office in Pyuthan, CP Basnet, shared that Salyan, Rukum Paschim, Jajarkot, Dailekh and Surkhet districts in the province are suitable for tea and coffee farming. 

Secretary of Siddhartha Multi-Purpose Cooperatives Limited, Tularam Sinjali, said the cooperatives has been purchasing the produce of tea and coffee farmers in the province, so that it does not go waste.