Tea Export Disruption Shuts Factories in Nepal’s Ilam
Ilam, Nepal —A disruption in cross-border tea shipments has forced over 100 tea processing factories in eastern Nepal’s Ilam district to suspend operations during the peak harvesting season, leaving large volumes of tea unprocessed and farmers facing losses.
With factories unable to clear stock and export channels slowing significantly, freshly picked tea leaves are going to waste in fields. Farmers say they are being forced to discard tea shoots as delays reduce quality and make storage impossible.
Industry groups estimate that a significant volume of tea is currently stuck in domestic factories and regional warehouses, affecting thousands of farming households and workers dependent on seasonal production.
Tea stakeholders say the disruption has created cash flow pressure across the supply chain, with storage limits reached and processing halted in many facilities.
Nepal exports more than half of its annual tea production, making the sector a key rural income source and foreign exchange earner.
Industry representatives are urging urgent diplomatic and trade-level intervention to restore normal export flow and prevent further losses during the main production season.
Source: Onlinekbaber.com
