Tea production in Nepal

Nepalese tea is not very popular, but it does not have fewer properties or much less quality than other popular types of gourmet tea such as Darjeeling. Nepal is a rather small country, located in the middle of the Himalayan mountain range where, of course, the highest quality tea is produced. The whole environment is ideal for achieving a drink at the highest level.

The one elaborated there is a black tea of magnificent quality. Nepalese tea is often compared to that of Darjeeling, which is considered the “champagne of teas”. For this reason, it can be said that it is of very high quality, although it does not reach such a point of excellence. That is why, perhaps, it has remained in the shadow of Indian tea, which in recent years has positioned itself among the most coveted teas on the market.

Nepalese tea is also often compared to the magnificent Darjeeling tea because the production conditions in that region of India are very similar to those in Nepal, located in the Himalayan area. This allows the tea obtained to be delicate, strongly aromatic and somewhat spicy, which reaches a coloration very close to the amber color. The tea of Nepal is usually distinguished by its excellent qualities.

According to studies, it has been revealed that it has properties like it is stimulating. It is antioxidant. It is very good to fight against bacteria, therefore acts against infections. Balances hypertension. All these qualities do nothing but magnify this delicious tea, one of the most similar to the “king” Darjeeling that there is in the Planet.

The limit of Nepal with China has a lot of influence on the production of tea in this country. But it could be said that the disciple exceeds the teacher and the tea of Nepal is of as much quality, or than that of China. It is said that the first ever tea bushes in Nepal were grown from seeds that were donated by the Chinese Emperor to then Prime Minister of Nepal, Jang Bahadur Rana in 1864.

And we’re grown in the eastern part of Nepal – Ilam. In 1878 the first tea factory was founded in Ilam. For a long time, only members of the ruling clan and clergy (monks) of Nepal enjoyed this tea.

For decades, Nepalese monks managed to get a wide variety of tea flavors, some of which are absolutely unique and incomparable to any other. However, the tea industry of Nepal has its roots in the times of the colonization of India, an international company, the “East India Company”, the British Empire.

It is believed that the development of tea plantations in Nepal began simultaneously with the development of the tea industry in the Darjeeling Hills of India. Mr. Gadjaraj Singh Tepa made a remarkable contribution to the history of Nepal tea. He was the first to grow tea in the Ilam region of Nepal. Ilam is geographically and topographically similar to Darjeeling in India.

Approximately 10 years after the establishment of the first tea plantation in Darjeeling. Hybrids of tea shrubs were introduced around 1863, and the first tea plantation was established in Nepal, located in Ilam at 4500-5000 feet above sea level. Understanding the prospects for the development of the tea industry in Nepal, two years later, the second tea plantation, Soktim, was laid out in the Jhapa area.

The Nepalese Tea Corporation was founded only in 1966 by the government of Nepal. In 1978, the first factory was built in Ilam (Nepal) to process tea leaves, and several years later, another factory was commissioned in Soktim, the Japa district.

From 1978 to the 1990s, many efforts were made by the Nepalese Tea Corporation in conjunction with the Overseas Development Center (ODA) to involve small and poor farmers in the production of tea as a commercial crop.

As a result, small farmers make up the main percentage of tea production in Nepal. Stagnant tea production in Nepal has developed into a commercial industry, bringing economic benefits to the country and socio-economic growth and development.

For the further development of the tea industry of Nepal in 1982, the Government of Nepal and His Majesty the King of Nepal, Birendra Beer Bikram Shah Deva, declared five districts – Japa, Ilam, Panchtar, Dankuta and Terhatmatum the tea zones of Nepal. It was only in 1996 that the Nepal Tea Corporation was founded to promote the development of the tea industry.

Initially, tea leaves grown in Nepal should have been sold to tea factories in Darjeeling, since tea factories were not built in Nepal.

Now Nepali tea is grown and processed mainly with the participation of small farmers, unlike some other countries where tea is grown on a large scale by large corporations. Special cultivation conditions on small farms contribute to a wide variety of tea flavors.

The downside of Nepal’s tea is its low production (only 0.4% of the world tea production is produced). This makes it difficult to find both inside and outside the country. Most of the export that takes place is done by air.

Although black tea and CTC are the most produced in Nepal, other variations such as green tea, oolong, and white are also processed in smaller quantities according to demand. In Nepal, tea is made by hand. The leaves are dried naturally and then rolled up.

CTC: Refers to the method to process black tea “crush – tear – curl” (crush, tear, curl). The leaves are passed through a series of rollers that have sharp teeth to crush, tear and bend the leaves. The CTC was invented specifically for the black tea industry, to save time and money.

Orthodox tea is generally grown in the mountainous areas of eastern Nepal, in six regions. Ilam produces the largest quantities, followed by Dhankuta, Panchthar, Terathum, Sindhupalchok, and Kaski. On the other hand, CTC tea is grown in the fertile plains of Jhapa, at a lower altitude and therefore in a warmer climate.

Orthodox teas in Nepal are characterized by four main crops:

– First harvest: It is usually picked in mid-March and continues until the end of April. The young leaves produce a delicate flavor, with a floral aroma and bright yellowish liquor. The first harvest is generally considered more since it is produced in limited quantities.

– Second harvest: It begins during the third week of May and lasts until the first week of July. In the second harvest, the teas show an optimum balance of flavor and aroma. It has a fruity flavor and amber liquor.

– Monsoon harvest: Also known as “rain teas”. It begins during the monsoon season in Nepal, from the last week of July, and continues until the end of September. The teas produced during this period have a delicate mild flavor and a darker liquor in the cup.

– Autumn harvest: It starts in October and lasts until the end of November. This vintage presents an extraordinary combination of musk flavors, acid scent, and amber liqueur.

The success of Nepal’s tea is due in large part to the efforts of the Himalayan Tea Producers Cooperative (HIMCOOP), founded in 2003. This cooperative is formed by an association of 20 tea factories under the direction of John Taylor in Kathmandu.

Participating companies are governed by a code of conduct that ensures a single standard in all factories, the integrity of the products and transparency in commercial transactions.

The plants are cultivated in the rich soil of the Himalayas at altitudes between 900 and 2,100 meters above sea level with slow natural growth conditions, ideal for developing all the complexity of the taste of tea. Unlike other countries, Nepal tea is grown mainly in small farms of an average medium size of 2,500 square meters. Farmers sell the product directly to tea factories.

Around 8,000 small farmers are involved in the cultivation of tea and employ some 27,000 people, the vast majority of women. The Nepal Teas can reach prices of up to $ 85 per kilo in the international market, and according to the National, Tea Board has almost doubled in the last five years at 2.6 million kilos, of which 90 percent export.

Thereby ranking Nepal as the 19th highest country in tea production in the world. Germany and the United States are the main markets, but also buyers from France, Great Britain, Russia, and Canada. As well as the consumer giants of China and Japan, have recently placed important orders.

The gardens east of Nepal, are at an equivalent altitude and share a similar climate, which is across the border with India in Darjeeling, which produce some of the most coveted black teas in the world.

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