Tea research centre comes into operation

By Prem Adhikari,Pashupatinagar (Ilam), Dec. 13: Nepal's first tea testing, promotion and research centre built in Kanyam, Ilam has been inaugurated.

Chief Minister of Koshi Province Hikmat Kumar Karki inaugurated the centre built inside the Kanyam tea garden in Suryodaya Municipality of Ilam, which is considered the capital of tea, on Thursday.

The construction of tea testing centre, including a hotel, seminar hall, and cafe, started by the Koshi Province government and Suryodaya Municipality in the fiscal year 2021/22, was completed in 2024/25 with an investment of Rs. 216 million, said Dipesh Acharya, engineer of Suryodaya Municipality. 

According to him, machines for tea research are yet to be brought to the centre to fully operate it. 

Inaugurating the centre, Chief Minister Karki said that the tea testing centre is a pride project of the Koshi Province government. 

He said that the centre will prove to be a milestone for the marketing of tea produced in Ilam. 

Chief Minister Karki said, “At a time when the traders are facing problems in the sale of tea, the centre that has been built and operated can directly sell tea by bringing foreign buyers.”

Director at the National Tea and Coffee Development Board Dr. Deepak Khanal said that the board will provide technical assistance for the operation of the tea testing centre. 

He said that work is being done to find a market for tea in China after India repeatedly stopped the Nepali tea, which has put the Nepali tea market in turmoil. 

“We should not depend only on India; we should improve the quality and take Nepali tea to the world market,” said Khanal.

Tea industrialist Uday Chapagain said that the construction of a tea testing centre in the municipality, which has been producing the most orthodox tea in the country, has made businessmen enthusiastic. 

Mayor of Suryodaya Municipality Rana Bahadur Rai said that the construction of a tea testing centre will make it easier to solve the problems of the tea sector. 

He said that now people from all over the world can come and conduct research, taste and buy tea in Kanyam.

On the occasion, tea industrialists Deepak Baskota, Punam Bantawa, Uday Chapagain, Taranath Sharma, Shameer Shrestha and tea farmer Man Kumar Lapcha were honoured.