Nepali coffee gets its logo

SANGAM PRASAIN

KATHMANDU, NOV 17 -

The National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) has finally received approval for its coffee logo from the Department of Industry after a three-year effort. The board had applied for the trademark in 2007.

The “Himalayan Specialty, Nepal Coffee” logo will be launched on National Coffee Day on Wednesday. All private, state-owned and cooperative coffee producers will get the collective trademark confirming that the coffee has been produced and certified in Nepal. Coffee produced in any part of the country will be marketed under this single logo.

Coffee traders will have to pay the board a fee amounting to 1 percent of the value of the invoice to use the logo, said executive director Binay Kumar Mishra of the board.

Nepali coffee producers and traders have been encouraged by the issuance of the much-awaited logo as it would promote the country’s organic coffee among international buyers. Coffee traders said that the logo would help Nepal to exploit the full potential in the existing markets besides opening up new markets. Nepal’s coffee is currently exported to Japan, the US, Korea and Europe. The board is also confident of gaining membership to the International Coffee Organization (ICO) after the issuance of the trademark. “We only have observer status; now we can apply for full membership,” said Mishra.

The board has sent a proposal in this regard to the Agriculture Ministry which will be further discussed at the Finance Ministry and the Foreign Ministry. Membership in the ICO costs Rs. 700,000 annually.

“After joining the ICO, information about Nepal’s coffee will be included in its database which

will be accessible to traders from across the world,”

said Mishra.

He added that the board planned to apply for registration of the coffee logo in the international market and was seeking government support to do it.