Is Nepal specialty coffee developing as prominently as expected?

According to historical records, coffee was introduced from Burma (now Myanmar) to Nepal in 1938, by the nomadic hermit Hira Giri. However, it took thirty years, when the Nepal government imported coffee beans from India in 1968, for domestic coffee production to begin to increase, and at the same time it spread to other regions of Nepal such as Palpa, Syangja, Kaski and Baglung.

By the mid-1980s, farmers began growing coffee on a commercial scale. From 1983 to 1984, Nepal Coffee Company (NeCCo) was established in Manigram, Rupandehi, enabling farmers to export and increase production. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, more and more farmers began growing coffee. Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture also launched the Coffee Development Program to provide technical and financial support to local producers.

Today, the International Coffee Organization estimates that in 42 districts across the country, there are more than 32,500 households participating in coffee production. Among them, Kavrepalanchok district in eastern Nepal is the largest coffee producing area in the country, covering 273 hectares and producing more than 32 tons of coffee. The second largest coffee growing district is Gulmi district in western Nepal, covering 231 hectares and producing 27 tons of coffee.

Nepal possesses unique natural conditions that make it an ideal place to grow Arabica coffee. In particular, the diversity of climate and altitude helps Nepali specialty coffee have an extremely impressive flavor. About 80% of the coffee produced in Nepal can be classified as specialty coffee, said Surya Dura, founder and CEO at Lake City Coffee in Pokhara, Nepal. The most common varieties found in Nepal are the precious Arabica varieties such as Bourbon, Pacamara, Typica, Caturra and Catimor. This could be a sign that Nepal will be one of the regions famous for high-quality coffee.

Besides, traditionally, most farmers use wet processing methods. However, many manufacturers have experimented with natural processing and honey processing techniques. In particular, in recent years, the natural anaerobic fermentation process has also begun to become more popular in Nepal, making the coffee flavor even more novel and attractive.

A representative of Specialty Coffee Nepal said that the country has more and more coffee events taking place, helping to bring together people from across the value chain, as well as attracting more attention to Nepali coffee. Many specialty coffee roasters, coffee shops and educational institutions opened in Nepal. Furthermore, according to Deepak Paudel – a famous coffee expert in Nepal, many Nepali baristas working all over the world actively promote their country’s specialty coffee. This helps Nepali specialty coffee have more opportunities to develop widely and become known to many people.

Although data shows that Nepal’s coffee output is growing steadily, the country’s farmers still face a number of challenges from the impact of climate change and labor shortages. Therefore, if the country wants to make a breakthrough in specialty coffee production, it needs to improve to make the coffee industry more sustainable. In particular, farmers need to be encouraged, guided and supported to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Growing areas need to be improved by implementing more climate-smart agricultural practices. Intercropping coffee with other crops, such as bananas, can also be beneficial because they can provide much-needed shade.

Surya Dura – managing director at Lake City Coffee, Nepal, said that if appropriate farming techniques can be used and new varieties grown, Nepal’s coffee output can grow on a larger scale. much in the coming decades. In addition, the combination of improving knowledge, growing diverse varieties and encouraging more young people to participate in coffee production can promote the development of Nepal’s specialty coffee industry to new heights. Because specialty coffee production has just begun in Nepal and has not yet found a large market. If properly planned, Nepali specialty coffee has a lot of potential for development.

A representative of Specialty Coffee Nepal said they have taken measures to provide formal training to farmers. Some domestic agricultural facilities have begun to include coffee-focused curriculum in their training programs. Farmers need proper guidance and greater awareness about growing, harvesting and processing coffee in the best possible ways.

It can be said that Nepal has a lot of potential to expand the scale of coffee production. With the current market development trend, the future of Nepal’s specialty coffee industry is certainly full of promise. However, for both production and consumption to grow sustainably, Nepal’s coffee industry needs more support, especially in adapting to climate change. The country’s government, stakeholders in the global supply chain and consumers also need more support for coffee farmers. Strengthening and improving logistics, transportation, and reception facilities are all extremely important to contribute to promoting the development of coffee in this country.

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