Coffee farming expanding in Koshi Province

JHAPA: Coffee farming is rapidly expanding across Koshi Province, with commercial cultivation now underway in all 12 districts.

Ananta Dhungana, Information Officer at the National Tea and Coffee Development Board’s Regional Office in Birtamod, said that coffee farming has spread over more than 2,000 hectares in the province.

Commercial coffee cultivation is active in Ilam, Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Khotang, Sankhuwasabha, Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu, Tehrathum, Udayapur, Morang, Panchthar, and Taplejung districts. Over 5,000 farmers are currently engaged in coffee farming.

Koshi Province produces between 90 to 100 metric tons of coffee beans annually, with a market value estimated at around Rs 200 million. More than half of this coffee is exported abroad.

The province contributes approximately 20 percent of Nepal’s total coffee production, which stands at 500 metric tons. Ilam leads coffee production within Koshi, with more than 2,000 farmers cultivating coffee on 900 hectares, producing about 50 metric tons of coffee beans.

Significant cultivation expansions have also occurred in Dhankuta, Morang, Panchthar, and other districts. According to board statistics, coffee farming covers 750 hectares in Dhankuta, 500 hectares in Morang, and 350 hectares in Panchthar.

To support farmers, the National Tea and Coffee Development Board provides grants of Rs 750,000 to farmers and cooperatives cultivating coffee on 50 ropanis of land, and Rs 350,000 to those operating seedling nurseries.

In the last fiscal year 2024/25, coffee cultivation expanded by 110 hectares across 24 local levels in Koshi Province, with the board allocating Rs 23.7 million for the effort.

For the current fiscal year, the board has budgeted Rs 28.3 million to expand coffee cultivation in 23 local levels. “Koshi Province has fertile land suitable for coffee farming,” said Dhungana.

“There is no shortage of markets for coffee sales. However, farmers face challenges reaching international markets directly due to limited knowledge about processing, quality control, packaging, and trademarks.”