PM Oli pledges to address issues of tea export

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has pledged to make all possible efforts to promote and encourage tea industry including taking initiatives to resolve the problems seen in tea export to India.

The commitment from the PM came in the backdrop of Indian authority concerned proposing mandatory auction of Nepali tea for import to India.

PM Oli reaffirmed his commitment while receiving a memorandum from the representatives of tea producers’ associations in Koshi, Jhapa and Ilam districts along with Provincial Tea Coordination Committee at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar today.

Reiterating to address problems through both formal and informal mechanisms, the Prime Minister urged the tea entrepreneurs to focus on promotion and expansion of market for the Nepali tea.

On the occasion, Committee’s Chairperson Aditya Parajuli drew the attention of government towards the prospects of negative impact of proposed policy arrangement in India for mandatory auction for tea imported from Nepal on the Nepali tea entrepreneurs.

He also said that the provision could further hamper the foreign currency earnings for Nepal from the trade of tea as Nepal had been collecting over Rs 6 billion annually in revenue from export of Nepali tea.

The representatives handing over memo to the PM also demanded operation of auction centre, immediate provision of subsidies in export of Nepali tea and easy and smooth electricity supply in the tea estate among others.