Introduction to coffee in Nepal | Coffee producing areas you don't know | small coffee producing areas

It is difficult to associate Nepal with coffee, but the Nepal region has the potential to produce better products in the coming years due to improved cultivation and processing methods. Availability could be improved through better coordination of distributors and supply chains, but Nepal coffee is still quite scarce in North America. According to the NPCA (Nepal Coffee Producers Association), Nepal currently produces only about 517 tonnes of coffee in 2015. About 50% of coffee is consumed locally.

Most coffee in Nepal is grown by smallholders, and higher rates of return are spurring an increase in Arabica production. Nepal has areas suitable for the terrain and climate, and a large number of existing Arabica coffee plantations are being upgraded. This work is led by the Nepal Coffee Producers Association.

What flavor does Nepal coffee have

Nepal coffee is considered rustic in the cup, with moderate acidity. To ensure quality, semi-washing methods are increasingly used, and progress is being made in cultivation and treatment of coffee beans.

USAID investments in Nepal have created a public-private alliance to increase production of specialty coffee. Private companies confident in the growth potential of Nepal coffee are making significant commitments to invest in Nepal coffee production and purchase beans. Although certified organic Nepal coffee is not currently sold, most plantations in the region use organic methods of growing coffee, including local fertilizer and compost.

In Nuwakot, the coffee is fruity (cranberry, plum, orange), with a silky body and fruity woody (cedar) aroma, with apple-like acidity. The best Nepal coffees are high-growth coffees with a shadow mask that allows the beans time to mature and ripen, with a full and intense flavor.

Nepal coffee varieties

Coffee plant varieties grown in Nepal are approximately 65 percent bourbon and 25 percent iron pickup, with the remainder being Pakamara varieties.

Coffee was first grown centuries ago in Nepal, but many coffee farms have been hit hard by coffee rust and replaced by tea plantations, which has led to lower coffee exports and higher prices.

Coffee was replanted in the 1980s and began to flourish in the hilly areas of Trai and Nepal, producing large income-generating crops. Many mature coffee plants in Nepal were replaced by other crops in the late 1980s due in part to marketing difficulties.

Growth areas in Nepal include: Rukon, Bagun, Jimmy, Palpa, Tana, Kaski, Gorka, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhatin, Sindh and Ilan.