Nepal Set to Introduce Trademark for CTC Tea; Sends 3.5 Arba Worth Tea to 38 Countries
In a significant move to boost the branding of its tea industry, the Nepalese government is gearing up to provide a trademark logo for CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) tea produced in the country. The National Tea and Coffee Development Board have initiated this process, issuing a public notice to design the trademark for CTC tea.
While the government has been providing trademarks for orthodox tea since 2072, this marks the first time they are extending the practice to CTC tea. Deepak Khanal, Director of the board, highlighted that introducing a trademark for CTC tea aims to secure its standing in both domestic and foreign markets. The initial step involves a public notice for the creation of the trademark logo, with the stipulation that it should carry the slogan 'Nepal Tea Premium CTC.' Designers are invited to submit up to three designs, and the chosen logo will receive a remuneration of 50,000 rupees.
Tea cultivation spans across 30 districts in Nepal, covering an area of 20,237 hectares. Annually, the country produces 2 crore 63 lakh 79 thousand 493 kg of tea, with CTC tea accounting for a substantial portion at 1 crore 89 thousand 2 thousand 800 kg. The move to trademark CTC tea seeks to elevate its status, considering that almost 55 percent of the total cool tea production in Nepal is CTC tea.
Director Khanal emphasized that with the introduction of the trademark logo, the board aims to set standards for industrialists and farmers involved in CTC tea production. Discussions with stakeholders have resulted in a draft of good agricultural practices, which will serve as the benchmark for quality. The finalization of this draft is pending.
Preparations are underway to introduce the standards shortly after the approval of the trademark logo by the Council of Ministers. The board will then invite industries to adopt the logo, following the successful implementation of good agricultural practices. Currently, the discussion also involves the possibility of levying a fee for processing industries using the trademark logo for CTC tea.
In a broader context, Nepal has been actively participating in the global tea trade, annually sending 3.5 arba (35 billion) worth of tea to 38 countries. However, there remains an import of 233,812 kilos of tea worth 836,676,000 rupees from 28 countries. Conversely, Nepal exports 1 crore 24 lakh 96 thousand 87 kg of tea, amounting to 3 billion 43 crore 71 lakh rupees, to 38 countries annually.
