Demand for Nepali tea abroad reviving

By Prem Adhikari,Ilam, July 26: The international market of Nepali tea, which had waned after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, has seen signs of improvement recently. 

Tea traders have said that the demand for Nepali organic tea has gone up in the international markets. The green tea has a good potential among export items. 

Sharad Subba, a tea entrepreneur from Jasbire of Ilam who has been producing organic tea for a long time and exporting it abroad, said that the demand for his product remained good this year. Foreign traders have already sent their demands for Nepali tea. 

However, Nepali tea producers can’t meet the demand for the single leaf tea. "We have received the demand of 2000 kilos of special tea, but since the production is low, I estimate that we can deliver only 1000 to 1500 kilos of tea," said Subba. 

He has also increased the price of green tea leaves as the price of final product gone up in the international market. He said that farmers are getting Rs. 65 to Rs. 1600 for a kilo of green tea leaves. 

Kothidanda, Sunkeshari, Golden Tea, Golden Honey, Olang, Ama Tea produced by Subba are considered having good taste and get high demand from the foreign buyers. According to him, he has produced a new brand of tea with the name 'Red Panda Tea'. 

The demand for tea is good this year at Tinjure Tea Factory located in Phakphokthum, Ilam, which was able to get the Grand Gold Medal in the 'Tea Expo' held in China last year. 

Dinesh Shrestha, manager of the factory, said that 20 quintals of tea products of different varieties, including golden, bulk tea and green tea, were sent to France. The company has also sent samples of its products to Korea and the Netherlands.

According to Shrestha, Tinjure had produced 13,000 kilos of tea last year, is expected to produce the same amount this year.

On the other hand, Sankhejung-based Greenhill Tea Industry has exported 8,000 kilos of tea to foreign countries this year. Director of the company, Tanka Dahal, said that 3,500 kilos of tea was exported to Germany. We are trying to deliver quality tea as per the demand. 

Production of green leaves has decreased this year. Dahal said that the demand for tea in the third countries was better than in India this year. However, he estimates that only 40,000 to 42,000 kilos of tea would be produced this year. However, industrialists lament that the market of Nepali tea has not been good in India. 

On the other hand, according to the statistics of Mechi Customs Office Kakadvitta, in the last Fiscal Year 2022/23, Nepal exported 13.4 million kg of tea worth Rs. 3.16 billion was exported. It is mentioned in the statistics of the office that 13.4 million kgs of tea was exported.