Nepal tea exports to India fall sharply via Kakarvitta border

Exports of Nepali tea to India through the Kakarvitta border point in Jhapa declined in fiscal year 2025/26. Nepal shipped 13,045 metric tons worth Rs 3.53 billion, down from 15,311 tons worth Rs 4.17 billion in the previous year, reducing export earnings by about Rs 639.7 million.

Chief Customs Administrator Shivlal Neupane said the drop reflects price fluctuations in the Indian market, non‑tariff barriers related to quality testing, and shifts in global demand. Tea, Nepal’s second‑largest export after cardamom, is vital for farmers, industrialists and the national trade balance, and the decline is expected to widen the country’s trade deficit.