This recognition, a result of long-standing efforts of the Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board and associated organizations and experts, to Nepali tea is coming after 154 years of the beginning of tea cultivation in the country.

The all-new trademark logo of Nepali tea consists of an image representing Nepal’s mountains along with a message ‘Nepali Tea Quality from the Himalaya’.

Addressing challenges regarding implementation of the logo, the Ministry of Agricultural Development has also issued the ‘Nepali Orthodox Tea Certification Trademark Implementation Directive 2074’ fixing standards on logo usage and mandating production of organic tea.

“Standards such as the quality of tea produced, employment security of the workers and sensitivity towards environmental protection must be met to use the logo. The logo and the directive have been approved, now Nepali tea will carve its niche in the international market,” says Chandra Bhusan Subba, an expert involved in the approval and implementation process.

Subba was hopeful that the new move will boost the demand for Nepali tea in the international market ensuring fair pricing for the local tea farmers. In this regard, he urged for the mandatory and proper implementation of the logo to safeguard the brand.

Nepali tea farmers were also elated at the new announcement hoping a good sustainability and business.

The logo will be launched to the international market at a grand inaugural event scheduled to be held at the Mt Everest Base Camp. The event will see the participation of buyers and journalists from different parts of the world.

Besides, a three-day tea conference has also been planned in Kathmandu from April 06, 2018.

History in Brief

The history of tea cultivation in Nepal dates back to BS 1920 when the cultivation actually began at a place called Ilam in Eastern Nepal and has further spread to 44 districts of the country.

Following this, a factory was set up in BS 1935 from where the tea production began from Ilam, home to the oldest and historical tea factory of the country.

The post Nepali Tea Gains Global Recognition, International Trademark appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Towards this end, the government has already approved the brand logo prepared by the National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) and the Himalayan Orthodox Tea Producers Association (HOTPA).

This logo ensures that Nepali tea has met the international manufacturing standards.

Prior to global marketing, the logo will first be used in tea packets after its official launch in the Mt Everest region in April 2018.

“It is difficult to meet all the international standards in tea production, but we have to accept this challenge. This is the only way to make Nepali tea competitive in the international market,” says HOTPA CEO Chandra Bhushan Subba.

Any tea producers will have to meet the international labor standards set by the International Labor Organization (ILO) to promote their product in the international market.

With this rule in place, NTCDB and HOTPA have already begun conducting awareness programs among farmers and other stakeholders of Paanchthar, Dhankuta and Ilam for the successful marketing of Nepali tea in the international market.

The brand logo is expected to address the concerns of exporters who have been facing legal issues pertaining to export of their product in the international markets.

To Address Challenges

Nepal orthodox tea is old and known for its taste, however, has been facing trade and marketing challenges.

Out of 5.5 million kg of orthodox tea produced annually in Nepal, 10 percent is consumed in the domestic market and 10 percent is exported to third countries. 

The remaining 80 percent is sold in the Indian market, where Nepali tea is marketed as Indian produce and again resold to foreign markets.

“We are compelled to rely on intermediaries although our products are of high quality. As a result, we have not been able to get good returns,” says Gayatri Basnet, a Sakhejung-based entrepreneur.

 “This is the reason why we need a logo to brand our products overseas. It is not mandatory for tea producers to get the logo. But if they want to get good returns, this is one of the options,” says Subba.

Out of the total 24 million kg of tea produced annually in Nepal across 28,000 hectares, around 5.5 million kg is orthodox. Orthodox tea gardens in Nepal are across 16,000 hectares and are owned by around 30,000 small farmers.

The post Nepali Tea All Set to Go Global! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Owing to the growing demand for Nepali tea in the international markets, the National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) and Trade & Export Promotion Center have decided to register trademark for Nepali tea by the end of current fiscal year.

To start with, NTCDB has planned to register the trademark for Nepali orthodox tea initially in the United States, Germany and Canada. “Based on the soaring demand from these countries, we have planned to step up and register the collective trademark,” says Sheshkanta Gautam, Executive Director of NTCDB.

This move to register a collective trademark is expected to expand the footprint of Nepali tea in the global orthodox tea market.

Despite the popularity across markets like the United States, Germany, Canada, South Korea and Japan for its aroma and taste, Nepali tea has been overshadowed by reputed products like Darjeeling tea because of poor branding.

However, its noteworthy that Nepali tea brands competed with the tea brands of various countries at both global and North American tea championship events and have also received awards for their quality and taste.

Two Years After Due Recognition

Nepali orthodox tea is in the list of exportable goods recognized by the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy 2016. However, it took two years for the Board to initiate the process of registering trademark for the same.

While Nepal produces two varieties of tea products, CTC and orthodox tea, almost 90 percent of it is exported to third countries.

Tea gardens in Nepal, spread across 28,000 hectares (mostly in the east) and gradually expanding to the central and western parts of the country, produce over 24 million kg of tea annually, with around 6 million kg of it being ‘orthodox tea’.

According to NTCDB statistics, Nepali tea shipment were valued Rs 2.40 billion in 2015-16, up from Rs 2 billion in the previous year.

The post New Trademark to Expand Nepali Tea’s Global Footprint appeared first on Nepali Sansar.