Kathmandu. The government has unveiled a five-year strategy to promote Chhurpi made from milk collected in cowsheds in high hill villages of Ilam, organic ginger mined in steep fields of Salyan and Palpa and traditional Nepali carpet woven in the cotton of Kathmandu Valley in the global market.
These products are not only the product of the sweat of Nepali farmers and artisans but also a major source of foreign exchange and recognition of Nepal in the international market. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has approved and implemented the National Strategic Action Plan for Export Promotion 2083-2088 to connect these unique products in the global value chain.
Prepared by farmers in the eastern hills, Chhurpi has become one of the most loved and healthy dog chews for pet dogs around the world. Popularly known as Himalayan Dog Chew, this product is in high demand in the West. The government has put special emphasis on the new strategy to eliminate the lack of integrated collective trademark and international quality certification.
Last fiscal year 2082. In 1983, Nepal exported 2.99 million kilograms of chhurpi and brought in foreign exchange worth Rs 4.81 billion. The government has set an ambitious target of increasing its exports to Rs 15 billion in the next five years. Currently, it is in high demand in the United States, Canada, European Union countries, the UK and Japan.
Similarly, Nepal is the fourth largest producer of fresh ginger in the world. More than 1.2 million people are engaged in this farming in about 23,000 hectares of land. Nepal produces around 2.87 lakh tonnes of ginger annually. Ginger worth Rs 1.21 billion was exported last year. More than 90 per cent of exports are concentrated in India. Apart from this, Bangladesh, China, Japan and the Middle Eastern countries also export some quantities.
The new action plan aims to market value-added processed products such as dry powder, dust, oil, pickles and candies to Europe and East Asia, branding ginger as the Himalayan Organic Ginger.
There is high demand for hand-woven Nepali hand-woven carpets in the United States, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Canada and Japan. There is a plan to revive Nepali carpet as a handwoven brand in Nepal, which uses 100% Tibetan wool and natural dyes. The new action plan has emphasized on easy supply of raw materials, design modernization and patent registration.
Currently, Nepal exports around 600,000 square meters of carpet annually and earns foreign currency worth Rs 9 billion to Rs 10 billion.
The action plan implemented by the Ministry of Industry has an ambitious plan to arrange for international level lab testing and organic certificate at the local level and processing center.
Similarly, market diversification, ending the dependence on ginger from India and increasing market access in Europe, America and East Asia and promoting Nepali products through Nepali embassies abroad and trade promotion centre and registration of trademark collectively.
The combined efforts of the government, private sector and local farmers are expected to boost export of these three major products, thereby reducing the country’s growing trade deficit and strengthening rural economy.
