The Nepal Weekly 
March 7, 2023
Ten tea producing companies of Nepal have won prestigious awards during the Second World Black Tea Quality Evaluation Competition organized by China Tea Marketing Associatiton (CTMA) from September 20-21 in Fuan county of Fuchiyan Province of China. The ten tea growing companies, who succeeded in winning various awards in China have been honourd amidst a programme organized by the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, Kirtipur on March 2, 2023.
Nepal’s TInjure Tea Farmer Cooperative Society Ltd., has won Grand Gold Medal during the competition participated in by world’s top tea growing companies from Sri Lanka, China, India and Kenya. The company company showcased its Pearl Golden Black Tea as sample during the competition.
Similarly, Farmer Tea Processing Industries (FT-Himalayan Gold Tea), Himalayan Shangri-la Tea Producers (Shangri-la Gold), Gorkha Tea Estate Pvt. Ltd. (GTE – GOlden Tea), Siddha Devi Tea Estate Pvt. Ltd. (Silver WIngs) and Kanchanjungha Organic Orthodox Chiya Udhyog ( GOlden Tips Tea) participating in the tough competition succeeded to grab Gold Meda on the occasion.
Likewise, Himalayan Shangri-la Tea Producers (Himalayan Sunrise Beauty), Shree Barah Tea Industries Pvt., Ltd. (Special Black Tea), Tinjure Tea Farmer Cooperative Society (Normal GOlden Black Tea) and Maipokhari Chiya Prasodhan Udhyog, Nepal ( MP 10 / Mirmire) have won Silver Awards.
Out of 16 tea producing companies, who participated in the competition, ten have succeeded to win the awards. Prime Minister’s chief advisor Haribol Gajurel honoured the representatives of the award winning tea producing companies on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Gajurel said that the government is ready to formulate appropriate policies and programme for the promotion of tea industries in Nepal. Tea industries can play an important role in attaining economic prosperity for the country if we could expedite export of high quality Nepalese tea, he pointed out.
Nepal’s tea quality is superior that those from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya, remarked Secretary at the Agricultural Ministry Govinda Prasad Sharma adding that the award won by the Nepalese tea producers in the internatioal arena has opened way for export of Nepalese tea to international market.
On the occasion Dipak Khanal, director at the Tea Development Board stressed on the need for exporting Nepalese tea to countries other than India including China if we are to get good market price for our tea. The tea produced in Nepal can fetch only Rs. 560 per kg where as in China Nepalese tea can fetch Rs. 3500, according to Khanal. He underscored the need for finding alternative market for Nepalese tea. Tea plantation begagn in Nepal in 1920 B.S., when then Badahakim of Ilam Gajraj Singh Thapa grew tea plant in Ilam. Then King Birendra declared Jhapa, Ilam, Panchthar, Dhankuta and Terhathum as Tea Districts in 2039 B.S., which helped in the development of tea as an industry in Nepal.
According to a latest data, in Nepal is currently growing 23,745 metric tons of tea in in 16,917 hectares of land and around 17,000 farmers are involved in the sector. The sector is also providing employment to some 60,000 labourers. Nepal has been exporting tea to many countries including India and third countries. In fiscal year 2077-78 Nepal exported 11,920 metric tons of tea and earned Rs. 3.80 billion.
