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Coffee Report
Coffee plant in Nepal.
NEPAL
A project has been launched recently by the Nepalese government to promote coffee in the international market. This is in collaboration with the European Union (EU) with the objective of improvement of quality of various commodities, including coffee. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Supply (MoCS) the €6 million project would bestow the much-needed value addition to the commodity in terms of infrastructure, productivity and quality parameters in line with international standards.
Nepal is now producing 300 metric tons against a demand of 5000 MT. At the launch program, Commerce Minister Sunil Bahadur Thapa expressed his hope that with the successful implementation of the project, Nepali coffee would become more competitive in the export marketplace. Grown at altitudes ranging from 800 meters to 1,600 meters, 65% of the output is exported and there is increasing demand for the commodity in Europe. EU Ambassador to Nepal Rensje Teerink said that the coffee industry could generate employment and help in alleviation of poverty, if quality met EU norms. The producers stressed the need for more support from the government and development of specialty variants to boost exports.