Nepal is world’s third largest ginger producer

Nepal has become the world’s third largest producer of ginger after India and China, according to the statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The country produced 216,289 tonnes of ginger in 2011 compared to the global output of 2.02 million tonnes.

Based on the average market price of Rs 62.29 per kg in 2010-11 at the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market, Nepal’s ginger output was worth Rs 13.47 billion. Officials said that farmers only get Rs. 25-30 per kg out of this while the rest is gobbled up by middlemen.

Ginger production increased marginally by 2.6 percent in 2011 compared to 2010. However, output has jumped 146 percent in the last decade. In 2002, ginger production was recorded at 87,909 tonnes.

Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture Development said that the export value of ginger had encouraged farmers to go for commercial farming. “Demand for ginger has been increasing due to its growing export value,” said Prabhakar Pathak, spokesperson at the ministry.

Increased use of ginger by the Ayurveda pharmaceutical industry in India and Nepal and high potential for product diversification to make jam, jelly, candy and sauce has made ginger one of the export potential products.

As Nepali ginger has not been able to get better prices due to soil content and dirty look, Pathak said that the FAO had planned to help farmers by installing a ginger processing plant in Kakkarbhitta on the eastern border.

According to government officials, India buys 98 percent of Nepal’s total ginger exports. Nepal enjoys free access to the Indian market. The US, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Japan and Spain are among the largest consumers of ginger . “If the processing plant is set up, it will add value to farmers’ products.”

Meanwhile, the land under ginger farming has increased to 19,081 hectares in 2011 from 18,041 hectares in 2010. In 2002, ginger was grown on 9,189 hectares. However, productivity has declined marginally in 2011.

According to FAO stats, ginger yield dropped to 11.33 kg per hectare in 2011 from 11.68 kg per hectare in 2010. In 2002, yield was 9.56 kg per hectare. Agriculture Ministry officials said that the reason behind Nepal’s low productivity was lack of hybrid seeds, technology and fertilizers.

Ilam is the top producer among two dozen ginger producing districts. According to the ministry’s statistics, Ilam grew 44,310 tonnes of ginger in fiscal 2010-11, followed by Salyan with 23,500 tonnes, Nawalparasi 12,255 tonnes and Palpa 12,226 tonnes. The Eastern Region was the largest producer of ginger among the five development regions with 79,361 tonnes.

Ginger is one of the farm products identified by Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) 2010 as having export potential.

According to a study, the per kg cost of ginger production is Rs 18. It is also highly labour incentive compared to other sectors.

The price of ginger varies with the seasons. During the off season from May to July, the price peaks while it drops to the year’s lowest during the main harvesting season which occurs from November to January.

TAAN urges bringing back benchmark fee

The Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal ( TAAN ) has urged the government to reintroduce the benchmark fee for trekkers on popular routes like Everest and Annapurna in a bid to discourage illegal operators. The government has been losing revenue due to a rise in the number of unregistered trek operators, said TAAN .

Speaking at an interaction here on Tuesday, TAAN president Mahendra Singh Thapa said that there had been an alarming rise in the number of illegal operators that is hurting government revenue and also the trekking business. “We have also urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to reintroduce the benchmark fee on trekkers so that the tourism business and revenue earning will be more transparent.”

According to him, the government had a benchmark fee in place for trekkers, however, it was abandoned at the urging of some sections of the private sector.

Nepal has been seeing improved tourist arrivals with an increased length of stay, but foreign exchange earnings have not matched this growth for the last three years.

Although NRB has been keeping a close eye on the trend, it has no clue about the slow revenue collection. Officials have suspected that companies involved in foreign exchange transactions might have submitted incorrect data on income from tourism.

“The major reason behind the falling revenue is an alarming rise in the number of illegal operators who have been conducting foreign exchange transactions without registration,” Thapa said. The government is unaware about the issue, he added.

Trekking is an expensive adventure activity that requires visitors to stay a minimum of eight-nine days and spend US$ 50-70 daily per person, according to traders. “As the government has failed to regulate this market, even NGOs are found to be involved in the trekking business,” Thapa said. He added that the trekking industry had a lot of potential to eradicate rural poverty, but it was lagging behind in contributing revenue to the economy.

According to the Tourism Ministry, Nepal Tourism Year in 2011 brought a record number of tourists, but their average per day spending has dropped to a 10-year low. Arrivals reached more than 735,000, but average spending fell to US$ 39.90 in 2011 against US$ 43.20 in 2010.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same occasion, Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA) president Nani Kaji Thapa urged the government to immediately initiate the process of buying aircraft for Nepal Airlines Corporation.

A large portion of tourist spending goes into airfare, and Nepal has not been able to reap the benefits due to the absence of the national flag carrier in the source markets, he said. The government should protect Nepal’s world renowned white-water rafting that is on the verge of destruction due to the governments unmanaged policy to develop hydropower, he added.

“Nepal has earned the reputation for being one of the best places in the world for white-water rafting and kayaking, and that should be protected.”

Meanwhile, Tourism Ministry secretary Sushil Ghimire said that his ministry was ready to amend all the old policies in line with present needs. “Although it is not possible to amend the acts, some policies and regulations can be amended if they can boost the country’s tourism industry,” Ghimire added.

Qatar Airways offers up to 30 pc discount

Qatar Airways has offered up to 30 percent discount on economy and business class airfares to various destinations from Kathmandu.

According to a press statement issued by the airline company Monday, the discounts are being offered for destinations like Houston, New York, Washington, Montreal, Buenous Aires, Sao Paulo, Casablanca, Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Dubai, Muscat, Tehran, among others.

Sales period for the special offers is from January 28 to 31 while the travel period for the offer is till March 31, informed the airlines

Construction of track leading to Mt. Makalu underway

Construction of a track leading to Mt. Makalu from a local village has begun, RSS reported.

The track, which will join the fifth largest peak to Haiya VDC, will make it easier for mountaineering enthusiasts to reach the peak.

is being constructed with financial assistance from Sankhuwasabha Tourism Development Board and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), the state-owned news agency said quoting project chief Man Bahadur Limbu.

Almost all sections of the track will be ready within two months, said project officials.

Stones from Mt Everest sent to lowest point on earth in Israel

Stones from the region of the highest point on Earth, the Mount Everest of Nepal, were sent to Israel on Monday. Similar stones from the lowest point on Earth, the Dead Sea in Israel, are expected to arrive in Nepal in a sooner date.

These stones will be established as monuments at the Dead Sea and at the Everest Base Camp respectively and will symbolize long and fruitful friendship between Nepal and Israel, according to a press release issued by the Embassy of Israel in Kathmandu.

“The placing of the monuments is expected to further strengthen existing good and friendly relations between the two countries and bring it to the people to people level. It will also promote these natural heritage sites apart from encouraging more people to visit the regions and to promote internal as well as international tourism,” the Israeli Embassy said in the release.

The stones from the Everest Base Camp were brought to Kathmandu by Bishnu Basnet, the guide from the Swissa Rafting and Trekking Expedition (P) Ltd.

A special ceremony for placing of the monuments will take place in both the countries later in 2013, according to the Embassy.

This project is the follow up project of the Nepal Israel joint postage stamps issued on 4 September 2012.