Tea worth Rs 38 million has been exported from Nepal. According to National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea farming is done in around 27,500 hectares of land and Jhapa covers more than one third of the total tea gardens.
Of the total 28 million kilograms of tea, Jhapa produces as high as 18 million kilograms, which is the highest in terms of district-wise production, Chief of Board Indra Prasad Adhikari said. The districts of the Province no. 1 produce almost 99 per cent of the total tea production in the country, according to Adhikari.
In Nepal, a total of 68 large-scale tea industries including 38 CTC and 30 orthodox tea producing industries are in operation. Likewise, more than 150 small companies are processing orthodox tea. The Board said that more than 70,000 people have got direct employment from tea production and 15,000 plus small farmers are engaged in the tea farming.
Adhikari said that Nepali Tea Quality from the Himalaya, a trademark of Nepali orthodox tea produced in the hilly region of Nepal, is issued from the government of Nepal. He further said that steps have been reached the final stage to issue trademark for the CTC tea grown in Jhapa. —
