NEPALI COFFEE
Coffee is a high value cash crop with environmental importance and is being popular among Nepalese since last few decades. It has been spreading in over 40 districts of the middle hills of Nepal.
All Nepali Coffee is of Arabica variety, mix of bourbon and typical, grown above 1000 meters up to 1600 meters altitude with organic and eco-friendly practices by small farmers. Selective hand picking of fully ripen cherries is done and pulped right after harvesting with mini hand pulper (wet processing) with necessary additional procedures. However, for domestic and home consumption dry processing method is also adopted where cherries are harvested and dried in sun at the farm level.
Nepal Coffee is considered specialty Coffee for its distinct flavor aroma and body as it is grown in higher altitude, away from the main Coffee growing Capricorn and Cancer belt (beyond 230 latitude). Coffee produced in Nepal is Organic & Fair-trade and is readily accepted as a Specialty Coffee in specific international markets.
Coffee can be commercially produced in many parts of the country. However, there is great potentiality in mid hilly region for organic Coffee production as it has got suitable climate, topography, soil, relative humidity, temperature and rainfall for Arabica Coffee. Some districts like Gulmi, Palpa, Argakhanchi, Lalitpur, Tanahu, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Lamjung, Kaski, Gorkha, Syangja, Parbat and Baglung are successfully growing and producing Coffee beans and is increasing gradually. This will certainly help in diversifying process and will increase the income of the farmers as well as other individuals involved in Coffee processing and marketing enterprise.
Nepal is Exporting Coffee beans mostly in Japan, America and European countries. This has been extended to other parts of the world.
