Kathmandu, February 3

Following the approval of Nepali Orthodox Tea Certification Trademark Implementation Directive, which defines the right of trademark (for organisations associated with tea production) from the Ministry of Agricultural Development, the National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) has started the process to register the trademark of Nepal’s orthodox tea in the international markets.

The NTCDB has called for expression of interest from overseas law firms that can help register ‘Nepal Tea - Quality From The Himalayas’ trademark in the European Union as well as seven other export destinations, namely, the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Australia, India and China.

Though the NTCDB had registered the aforementioned trademark at the Department of Industry (DoI) some two years back, the NTCDB was waiting for the endorsement of the directive from the board led by the minister for agricultural development.

The NTCDB has set a deadline of February 20 for submission of EoI from interested parties. The overseas law firms interested in trademark registration have to submit their financial proposal, competency of the assignment, experience and expected time duration for completing the registration in each country along with EoI.

Nepal’s orthodox tea will be able to receive its identity in the international market through a trademark after 154 years of beginning tea cultivation in the country.

The directive has fixed certain standards for the use of the trademark, including that the produced tea must be fully organic. As per the directive, the tea producers wanting to use the logo must submit an application after which the process will move forward.

With this move, Nepali tea would fetch better price in the international tea market and farmers would directly benefit after registration of the trademark.

The tea farmers have become elated with the development of Nepal’s own trademark, also hoping that this will induce good business and sustainability.

Orthodox tea is being cultivated in Ilam, Dhankuta, Terhathum and Panchthar districts, among others.