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Kathmandu Thursday March 29, 2001 Chaitra 16, 2057.
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Fresh moves to promote tea
industry
Post Report
KATHMANDU, March 28 - Agriculture and
Co-operative Minister Chakra Bastola has reiterated the need of establishing a separate
Tea Bank so as to channel the flow of resources to promote Nepali tea industry.
Speaking on the occasion of 4th National Tea
Day and Workshop on the National Tea Policy 2001: Implementation Directives organized in
the capital today, Minister Bastola highlighted some prominent feature of tea policy
saying it as a ‘breakthrough’ in developing tea industry.
Nepali tea needs international exposure, he
said. Specialization on orthodox tea could help to establish a niche in the international
market.
Jim Tomecko, team leader, Private Sector
Promotion Project, GTZ spoke on the need to upgrade Nepali tea.
Sub-standard Nepali tea is sold in the
market, he added good quality and marketing strategy is the key for upgrading the tea
industry.
Earlier welcoming the guest, Mukti Raj
Sharma, executive director of the board highlighted the need of research and marketing on
tea industry in order to make them competitive.
Man Bahadur Lepcha, a small tea farmer and
Naresh Kumar Burma, a tea producer stressed upon the need of making the board capable and
more efficient.
Speaking from the chair, Narendra Bikram
Nembang , Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperatives assured government commitment
to help expand tea plantation and ensure market.
Likewise National Tea and Coffee Development
Board has prepared draft of implementation directive with an objective of effective
implementation of National Tea Policy 2057.
The directive has a provision of providing
loans at minimum interest for cultivation and processing of tea. The total loan with
interest is to be paid back after the completion of the 10 years grace period.
Likewise, a discount upto 75 per cent will be
extended on registration fee for small farmer, cooperative and tea industry. But for this
the board has to recommend the individual cases to the concerned authority.
The directive has provision of waiving land
tax upon the recommendation of concerned institutions and various other measure to help in
the growth of the tea industry among others.
Nepal is currently capable to produce 5 million
kilograms of CTC tea and 900 thousands kgs of orthodox tea and gearing for
self-sufficiency within 4 years.
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