Kavrepalanchowk tops in coffee production

Among the 77 districts, Kavrepalanchowk district tops in coffee production, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
According to a report 'Nepal Commercial Coffee Farming Survey 2018-19' released today in Kathmandu by the CBS, Kavrepalanchowk district holds the top position in the list of the highest coffee farming areas with 104.3 hectares land used for farming followed by 96.3 hectares and 94.1 hectares in Lalitpur and Syangja districts, respectively.
“Kavrepalanchowk, the largest producer amongst the 32 districts, produces 221 metric tonnes of fresh coffee cherries, followed by Syangja with 158 metric tonnes and Sindhupalchowk with 141 metric tonnes of fresh coffee cherries,” the report reads, adding that a total of 1,573 metric tonnes of fresh coffee cherries are produced annually in 32 districts commercially.
According to the survey done in a year – from April 14, 2018 to April 13, 2019 – some 6,346 farmers from 32 districts are engaged in the coffee farming in 973 hectares land.
“Farmers owning 50 or more coffee trees have been considered commercial farmers in the survey,” director of CBS Badri Karki said, adding that a total of 943 commercial farmers, the highest from Kavrepalanchowk followed by Sindhupalchowk, 753 and Syangja, 708 farmers in the respective districts.
The CBS data also revealed that 96 per cent of coffee farmers are engaged in organic coffee farming, of which 9 per cent are certified firms, 34 per cent are cooperative or company certified and 57 per cent are operating without any certification. “Of the surveyed farmers, 74 per cent of them are male and 26 per cent are female.”
But only 1.7 per cent of farmers have registered their businesses, the CBS report reads, adding that some 83 per cent commercial coffee farmers are found to have been shifted from agricultural occupation (other than coffee farming), some 3 per cent from business, 10 per cent from the day job and 4 per cent from other occupations. “Only 2.8 per cent of coffee farmers have opted for a bank loans for the business, whereas 11 per cent of commercial coffee farmers consider coffee farming as their main source of income>”
According to CBS, of the surveyed participants, half of them do not know about the minimum price of coffee determined by the government. “The expenses of Rs 2.56 million on purchase of coffee plants, 2.87 million on fertilizers and 9.17 million under the head of others were recorded for coffee farming.”
While Rs 154.1 million was earned from 1573 metric tonnes of fresh coffee cherries and Rs 29.7 million from shade-grown coffee and Rs 16 million from underground crops. At least 78 per cent of commercial coffee farmers have received training regarding coffee farming.
The CBS has identified 55 coffee nurseries in Nepal through the survey. The report also has collected suggestions from farmers regarding the promotion of coffee farming in Nepal. Quality technological service, access to irrigation, training and study facility, market for produced coffee and subsidy for coffee farming are among the suggestions from the farmers reported the CBS.
According to National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB), lack of lab in Nepal – despite the coffees produced here are of better quality due to climatic conditions – has hit the coffee export that is a cash crop.