NEPAL
Orthodox varieties of tea produced here have been given the collective trademark Nepal Tea along with a logo registered in July with the Department of Industry. The designation affords market protections for registered teas.
The National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) will issue the trademark following governmental approval, permitting manufacturers and exporters to print the logo on the packaging of their products. NTCDB executive director Sheshkant Gautam has said producers who use the trademark must first fulfill stringent parameters set by the government.
The NTCDB will promote the Nepal Tea trademark in the international market, as a guarantee of quality.The trademark is also used for Nepal coffee as well and testifies that organic methods have been utilized for production, processing and packaging, together with the mandatory norms for protection and preservation of the environment, according to Gautam.
Orthodox tea is the fourth commodity in Nepal to be awarded the collective trademark after pashmina products, leather footwear and coffee. The collective trademark for Nepal Coffee is being considered for registration in quite a few countries that import the commodity. The NTCDB and the Trade and Export Promotion Centre are to work towards this objective in the primary import markets. Ishwori Prasad Ghimire, executive director of the Trade and Export Promotion Centre, also emphasized the need for early registration of the collective trademark.
The NTCDB is collaborating with the Himalayan Orthodox Tea Producers’ Association (HOTPA) to monitor and promote the logo in the international market. Nepal produces 20,000 metric tons of tea annually, of which 4,500-5,000 metric tons are orthodox.
Learn more: www.teacoffee.gov.np/en/index.php
Source: The Kathmandu Post