More farmers are switching to coffee farming due to growing demands and subsequent rise in prices. The region has developed into a center for organic coffee production in recent years. [break]
According to regional office of National Tea and Coffee Development Board in Pokhara, coffee farming has now spread to 11 districts in the region. Arabica variety of organic coffee produced in the region is exported to different overseas markets like Japan, USA, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
“Districts in western development region contributes over 60 percent of total coffee produced across the country,” said Raghupati Chaudhari, chief of the regional office.
Though Robusta and Arabica varieties of coffee are produced across the world, Nepali farmers cultivate only Arabica variety of coffee. Coffee farming has been recorded in around 1,056 hectares of land in the region. A total of 14,107 farmers are producing about 140 tons of coffee annually, Chaudhari added.
He further added that Syangja, Palpa, Gulmi and Kaski are the key districts in the region for coffee farming. “Syangja is the largest producer in the region with 29 tons of production last year,” Chaudhari said, adding, coffee production in Palpa, Gulmi and Kaski was recorded at 27 tons, 22 tons and 21 tons respectively.
Lalitpur, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk and Arghakhanchi are the leading districts in the country terms of coffee farming. Similarly, Baglung, Parvat, Dhading, Gorkha, Lamjung, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Khotang, Makawanpur and Ilam are the emerging coffee producing districts, according to the board.
“Higher rate of return as compared to other crops and lucrative markets in overseas countries are the major factors that have attracted farmers to coffee farming,” Chaudhari said. He, however, added that total production is far lower than the demand for Nepali organic coffee from overseas markets.
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