PM Balen meets tea industrialists

Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Balen Shah, who has been holding meetings with different business associations and industrialists, is scheduled to hold discussions with tea industrialists here today.

According to a source at the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting will discuss the problems facing the tea industrialists and the ways to resolve them.

Prime Minister Balen had met with the representatives of the Federation of Handicraft Associations on Tuesday. He also met with representatives of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Contractors’ Association, Footwear Association, Share Investors and Readymade Garment Industry Association.

However, the Finance Minister and other concerned ministers were not included in these discussions.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Balen called the presidents and representatives of Organic Association of Nepal, Gorkha Tea State, Himalayan Shangri-La Tea Industry and Annapurna Organic Agro Industry among others for a meeting.

Since most of Nepal’s tea is exported to third countries via India, Nepali tea trade is affected due to Indian policy, customs process and market conditions.

The export of Nepali tea was halted for two months recently due to the new quality testing system implemented by India. As a result, dozens of tea factories in Ilam and Jhapa were shut down. Workers dependent on Nepal’s tea industry have also been affected when the industry is closed. This issue would also be discussed during the meeting with the Prime Minister today.