KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 1
The National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) is preparing to provide 50 per cent grant to tea farmers with an aim to encourage tea farming in the country.
In the first quarter progress review programme of the National Tea and Coffee Development Board today, Executive Director of NTCDB Bishnu Prasad Bhattarai informed that the board will provide 50 per cent grant to those farmers who take up tea farming on at least 50 ropanis of land.
Earlier the board had stated that due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, tea production might drop by 20 to 25 per cent this year.
Bhattarai informed that the board had introduced this offer with an aim to motivate more people to do tea farming so that the country can meet the international demand. He further urged the farmers to start preparations to increase production of tea as the demand for Nepali tea will increase in the coming days as the Nepali logo has been introduced in the world market.
According to the Nepal Commercial Tea Cultivation Survey 2018, 22.24 million kg of tea is produced annually in the country. As per the survey, tea is being cultivated over one million hectares of land across the country.
Commercial tea farming is being practised in 14 out of 77 districts across the country.
Of the total amount of tea produced in Nepal, 55 per cent of crush, tear, curl (CTC) tea and 90 per cent of organic tea are being exported to different countries.
Similarly, the board is also providing subsidy to the coffee farmers. “There is a demand of 19 tonnes of coffee even though Nepal produces only six metric tonnes of coffee annually,”
Bhattarai said. “So, we will also provide 50 per cent subsidy to farmers who produce 50,000 coffee seedlings or more than that annually.”
According to the board, around 500 to 600 tonnes of coffee beans are being produced annually in the country. And most of the production is being consumed in the country itself.
“Domestic and international demand of Nepal tea and coffee has increased recently so we have to focus on increasing our production,” he added.
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