The Government of Nepal’s initiative to prioritise Nepali products in government offices and public institutions, and to make the use of Nepali goods and services mandatory wherever possible, is a welcome step. Creating a culture in which the prime minister and government offices prioritise Nepali food, clothing and other products is not merely an expression of nationalism. If implemented properly, it can become an important economic strategy capable of transforming Nepal’s production structure. The government deserves recognition for taking this initiative. But an even more important question must now be asked: If the use of Nepali products is to be made mandatory, do we have enough production capacity to meet the demand?
This is where the real test of “Made in Nepal” begins. A decision to use Nepali products will not produce meaningful results if sufficient quantities of quality goods are unavailable. Nepal has enormous potential in textiles and garments, agriculture and food processing, coffee, tea, herbs, essential oils, handicrafts, footwear, furniture, construction materials and packaging. Our problem is not a lack of potential; it is insufficient scale, quality, technology, capital, skills, market access and consistent policy support. Therefore, alongside the slogan “Let us use Nepali products”, we need a national campaign to increase domestic production. The government cannot simply ask entrepreneurs to produce. It must provide capital, technology, skills, markets, infrastructure and stable policies. Only then can the country build a strong production base.
Small and medium-sized enterprises must be at the heart of this strategy. Thousands of Nepali women, young people and local entrepreneurs have the skills and ambition to produce, but many lack adequate capital. Some have good products but limited markets, while others need better packaging, branding or working capital to expand.
Accessible low-interest loans, seed and working capital, credit guarantees, production-based incentives and financing for business expansion are therefore essential. A dedicated national fund for women and youth entrepreneurs could help, but such programmes must ensure that capital reaches genuine entrepreneurs rather than becoming another bureaucratic exercise. Young people with viable business plans but insufficient collateral should also have access to credit, alongside training, mentoring, technology and market support.
No formal directive to recall Neupane and Dhakal: Parajuli
Skilled human resources are equally important. Nepal is sending young people abroad in search of employment while many could become skilled workers and entrepreneurs at home. Modern skill-development centres linked directly to industrial needs should therefore be established in every province. Training should focus on practical areas such as textiles and garments, food and coffee processing, herbs, essential oils, packaging, machine operation, production management, quality control, product design, digital marketing and modern agricultural technology. Nepal needs a workforce capable of producing, not merely a population holding academic degrees.
Another major weakness is that Nepal produces but fails to scale. One entrepreneur may produce excellent pickles, another quality coffee, another good garments and another essential oils, but such products often remain confined to small markets. Production clusters can help overcome this problem. Entrepreneurs in related sectors should be able to work together on production, processing, packaging, quality testing, branding and marketing. The objective should not be to keep small enterprises small forever, but to help them grow into competitive industries.
All seven provinces can be developed as specialised production centres based on their comparative advantages. Local governments can identify and promote local products, provincial governments can support infrastructure and market development, and the federal government can provide financing, technology, policy support and export facilitation. We should also stop depending on Kathmandu as the primary market. Strong local markets must be developed in municipalities and provinces across the country.
Government procurement can become one of the most powerful tools for the “Made in Nepal” campaign. If government offices, schools, hospitals and public institutions prioritise Nepali products that meet quality standards and are competitively priced, thousands of businesses could gain stable markets. But one principle must remain clear: We must never buy low-quality products simply because they are Nepali. “Made in Nepal” must not become synonymous with inferior goods. It should stand for quality, reliability, competitiveness and products capable of competing internationally.
Agriculture must also move beyond the traditional model in which farmers produce raw materials while most value addition takes place elsewhere. If Nepal produces coffee, processing, roasting, packaging and branding should also take place here. If we produce herbs, we should develop essential oils, cosmetics and other high-value products. If we produce fruits, we should manufacture juice, dried fruits, jam and other processed foods. We need complete value chains—from farm to factory, factory to market and market to export—within Nepal.
At the same time, Nepal needs a clear strategy for taking its products abroad. The ambition should move from “Nepali products for Nepal” to “Nepali products for the world.” International quality certification, modern packaging, product standardisation, branding, digital marketing, e-commerce and support for exporters are essential. Nepali businesses must be enabled to compete in India, China, the Gulf, Europe, the United States and other markets.
But none of this will work without policy continuity. Frequent changes in governments and ministers often bring changes in policies, discouraging long-term private-sector investment. If entrepreneurs fear that the rules may change tomorrow after they invest today, Nepal cannot build a strong production base. “Made in Nepal” must therefore not remain the programme of one government or prime minister. It should become a national economic policy backed by at least a 10-year roadmap for production, employment, import substitution and export growth. We must also stop talking only about restricting imports. We need the production capacity to replace them. Simply discouraging foreign products will not strengthen Nepali industries. Domestic goods must be high-quality, reliable, attractive and competitively priced.
Instead of emotionally pressuring consumers to “buy Nepali”, the government’s real success should be creating conditions in which people choose Nepali products because they are genuinely better and competitive. Nepal has reached a point where it must transform from a consumption-driven to a production-driven economy. Our greatest strength is our young population; our greatest opportunity is agriculture; and another major strength is our entrepreneurial spirit. But unless these strengths are connected with capital, technology, skills, markets and stable policies, much of our potential will remain untapped.
The government should therefore launch a comprehensive “Made in Nepal Production Mission” focused on developing production clusters in every province, expanding affordable financing for women and young entrepreneurs, prioritising qualified Nepali products in government procurement and connecting local producers to national and international markets. Support for quality testing, certification, packaging and branding should be expanded, while stronger links between agriculture and industry should create high-value domestic supply chains. At the same time, an export-oriented strategy should help Nepali products reach global markets.
The dream of economic self-reliance cannot be achieved simply by carrying the Nepali flag. It requires producing in our fields, operating factories, financing entrepreneurs, equipping young people with skills, creating opportunities for women and taking Nepali products to the world. If the government is opening the door to Nepali products in government offices today, its responsibility now is to ensure that Nepali industries, entrepreneurs, workers and products are ready to walk through that door and enter a much larger market.
Ultimately, “Made in Nepal” is not merely a phrase printed on a product. It should become a declaration of economic self-reliance, respect for Nepali labour and confidence in the country’s future. We must not only become a nation that uses Nepali products, we must become a nation that produces them. We must not remain a consumption-driven economy; we must build a production-driven one. And we must transform “Made in Nepal” from a national slogan into a Nepali brand recognised and respected in the global marketplace.
