Nepal resumes tea export to India

The export of tea from Nepal to India has resumed after a gap of two months following ease of regulations by New Delhi, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Wednesday.

Export of Nepalese tea to India was halted from May 1 after the Indian Tea Board introduced strict regulation on its import. It resumed on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Khanal informed the National Assembly that the export of Nepalese tea to India has now been eased.

India reviewed its policy regarding import of tea from Nepal, which made it possible, he said, adding that he too had held discussion with high officials regarding the matter during his recent visit to India.  India is the major market for tea produced in Nepal. “Export of Nepalese tea to India resumed from Tuesday, June 30, after India eased the regulation (to import Nepalese tea),” said Kamal Mainali, president of Nepal Tea Association.

With the easing of the regulation, trucks carrying Nepalese tea consignments have started heading towards India, Mainali said.

Nepal had taken a diplomatic initiative to ease regulation to export tea to India. Nepal’s tea manufacturers had halted their production for about two months after India introduced strict regulation on the import of Nepalese tea.

Now, as against the 100 per cent sampling test, the Indian authorities will take a sample of only 20 per cent tea being exported from Nepal and allow the consignment if it meets the required standard. As per the new arrangement, samples will be taken from only one out of five trucks for testing purposes before issuing export permits, Mainali said.