The National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) will issue the collective trademark to traders after receiving the government’s approval, allowing them to print the logo on the packaging of their products. NTCDB Executive Director Sheshkant Gautam said they would permit tea producers fulfilling the standards set by the government to use the trademark. “We are planning to promote the trademark in the international market,” said Gautam at a programme on Monday.

The collective trademark is an assurance of the quality of the product. The use of the trademark on Nepali coffee guarantees that organic practices have been followed in the production process, production environment, processing and packaging.

Nepali orthodox tea is the fourth domestic product to receive a collective trademark. Pashmina products, coffee and leather footwear have already received collective trademarks. Since 2010, the government has been promoting a number of products, including Nepali orthodox tea, by including them in the list of high export potential goods under the Nepal Trade Integrated Strategy.

The trademarks of pashmina products and coffee are in the process of being registered in a number of export destination countries. The NTCDB and the Trade and Export Promotion Centre will work together to get the trademark registered in the main importing countries.

Gautam said they were planning to form a monitoring team to inspect the proper use of the collective trademark by tea traders. “The team will keep a strict watch to make sure the logo is not used on products that do not meet the standard,” he said.

Ishwori Prasad Ghimire, executive director of the Trade and Export Promotion Centre, said there was a need for speedy registration of the collective trademark in the main export destinations.

“As there is high demand for organic Nepali tea in the international market, we have to promote it by ensuring the quality,” said Ghimire.

He stressed the need for government incentives for the 10 major export goods to boost sales.

On Monday, the NTCDB joined hands with the Himalayan Orthodox Tea Producers’ Association (HOTPA) to monitor and promote the logo in the international market. HOTPA President Som Prasad Gauchan said they would start work to register the trademark in the main importing countries of Nepali tea. Nepal produces 20,000 tonnes of tea annually, 4,500-5,000 tonnes of which is orthodox tea.