NA Meeting: MP Rai urges govt to resolve tea export crisis with India
Rai said Nepali farmers’ exports—including tea—are facing persistent barriers and called for practical solutions to ensure smooth trade.
KATHMANDU: Nepali Communist Party (NCP) National Assembly member Jayanti Devi Rai has urged the government to immediately address ongoing issues affecting tea exports to India, warning that the sector is facing a severe crisis.
Speaking in Monday’s National Assembly session, Rai said Nepali farmers’ exports—including tea—are facing persistent barriers and called for practical solutions to ensure smooth trade.
She stressed that delays in exports to India have pushed the tea industry toward shutdown, with more than 1.2 million kilograms of tea stuck due to unresolved quality testing procedures and repeated delays on the Indian side.
“Our tea industry is on the verge of collapse. Over 12 lakh kilograms of tea cannot be exported to India and is piling up without sales,” she said, adding that repeated delays in quality checks and prolonged procedures have worsened the situation.
Rai warned that production is now being stored without buyers, putting immense pressure on domestic producers and threatening the survival of the tea sector.
She also called for immediate diplomatic engagement with India and urged the government to diversify export markets beyond India.
According to her, Nepal must secure long-term market stability for tea and other agricultural products to ensure farmer self-reliance and industry sustainability.
