A meeting of the price fixation committee held Tuesday decided to increase the selling price of fresh cherry and coffee parchment for domestic buyers. [break]
“We increased minimum support prices so as to encourage farmers to boost coffee production,” said Binay Mishra, executive director of NTCD, told the press on Tuesday.
According to Mishra, prices of fresh cherry and coffee parchment have been set at Rs 30 and Rs 150 per kg, up from Rs 27 and Rs 142 per kg respectively. However, export prices are fixed by exporters themselves as per the negotiation with overseas importers.
Producers are upbeat about the prospect of exports of Nepali coffee in the coming days with the registration of trademark of Nepal organic coffee at the Department of Industry (DoI) Monday.
“We are hopeful that the market for Nepali organic coffee in international market would be expanded with the registration of trademark,” said Shyam Bhandari, president of Nepal Federation of Coffee Producers.
NTCD is formally unveiling the new trademark at a program to be organized to mark National Coffee Day Wednesday.
Mishra also said NTCD would initiate the process of registering the trademark in major coffee importing countries for the promotion of Nepali organic coffee.
Nepali farmers are producing Arabica varieties of coffee that can only be produced in hilly districts. Over 25,000 farmers are involved in coffee farming in a total of 1,630 hectares of land in around 40 districts across the country. However, commercial farming is done only in about one and half a dozen districts, including Lalitpur, Gulmi, Syangja, Palpa, Kaski, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk and Arghakhanchi.
“We have formulated Three-Year Strategic Plan to promote production and exports by enhancing quality and productivity of Nepali coffee with the involvement of greater number of farmers and using modern technology,” said Mishra.
Export of green bean, which is obtained after processing coffee parchment, touched 120 tons in fiscal year 2009/10, up from 112 tons recorded a year earlier. Production of green bean increased to 343 tons during 2009/10, up from 267 tons recorded during the previous year.
Nepal imported coffee worth Rs 59.54 million in 2009/10, down from Rs 84.4 million recorded a year earlier, thanks to rise in domestic production.
Related story
‘Coffee 2 Go Nepal’ brings mobile coffee stall in Kathmandu
