Coffee by-product valorisation: Prospect in tea and liquor
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages on the planet. Each year, it is estimated that about 400 billion cups are drunk. Nepalis are increasingly appreciating the value of coffee farming, which has now extended to over 40 districts. Coffee farming, on the other hand, is a relatively new activity in Nepal, having been started in Apchaur of Gulmi in 1995 BS (1938 AD).
In order to popularise coffee production in Nepal, the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB/N) launched coffee farming, imported seeds, and distributed them to smallholder farmers. Coffee production was also practised by I/NGOs in steep ecological regions to reduce soil erosion and safeguard the environment. However, it took nearly four decades for coffee to enter the commercial market, with Nepal becoming a registered export producer. Exports to Japan, America, and Europe have helped it carve out a niche in the worldwide market.
In 1993, the Government of Nepal (GoN) established a Tea and Coffee Development Section under the Fruit Development Directorate of the Department of Agriculture to boost coffee production by area, based on an analysis of the crop’s potential. The Coffee and Tea Development Board Act (1993) was passed by the Government of Nepal in 1993, establishing the National Tea and Coffee Development Board.
Dry processed green beans of Nepali coffee were shipped to Japan for the first time in 1994. Because of coffee’s lengthy history, smallholder farmers believed the commodity was simple to grow, required few inputs, and could be grown on marginal uplands with little irrigation and effort. Understanding its economic, environmental, and social features, the government, in collaboration with foreign development partners, encouraged coffee production by expanding regions and supporting capacity and institutional development.
