According to Federation of Nepal Coffee Entrepreneurs (FNCE), the certification process was started after production of coffee increased and foreign companies started ordering organic coffee.[break]
“We have started organic certification in these two places in order to make a brand for coffee as foreigners ask for certification,” said Shyam Bhandari, president of FNCE.
Bhandari further added that though coffee is produced in 22 districts in the country, coffee produced only in Syangja, Gulmi, Lamjung and Lalitpur have received organic certification.
FNCE has started Internal Control System in order to provide organic certification in Palpa and Kaski. Under this system, use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers are reduced while organic fertilizers are used for treating the plants. After using such procedure for three years continuously, Organic Certifying Agency will provide certification if the criteria is fulfilled.
The criteria includes considering color of coffee, odor, flavor, bitterness, added components among others before providing certification.
Currently, Everest Coffee Mill, Highland Coffee, Gulmi Cooperative, Budhha Organic Coffee and Parbat Orgnanic Coffee exports coffee to America, Japan, Europe and Korea among other countries.
Coffee producing farmers are happy after production and marketing of Nepali coffee have started to improve. According to Bhandari, last year 343 tons of green beans was produced and it is expected to grow by 20 percent this year as the climate has been favorable and the production area has also increased.
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