Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) on Thursday called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Sishir Khanal and urged him to take initiatives to resolve the problems surfaced in the export of Nepali tea to India through diplomatic channel.

A team led by FNCCI President Anjan Shrestha reached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to draw the attention of the Nepali tea industry towards the problems they were facing due to the new arrangement of the Tea Board of India.

On the occasion, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sishir Khanal shared that the government was serious towards obstruction seen in the export of Nepali tea and diplomatic dialogue was underway with Indian side regarding this matter. “We have already started talks with Indian officials to resolve problems surfaced in export of Nepali tea.

“Concrete initiatives are being taken from the diplomatic level to find a practical solution to the problem,” he said. According to the information received from the Indian side, a solution will be found soon. Talks are underway with the Indian side to find a long-term solution to such problems surfaced in the export of tea and other goods, he said.

Federation President Anjan Shrestha urged the Minister to resolve the problem at the earliest, saying the entire economy and livelihood of millions of people would be affected if the tea sector is traded annually. He stressed the need of establishing an internationally accredited laboratory in Nepal for long-term solution.

Also speaking on the occasion, lawmaker and deputy leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party Parliamentary Party Ganesh Parajuli and Chairperson of the parliamentarian and Industry committee Rahbar Ansari stressed on the need of seeking short-term and long-term solution to such problems.

Similarly, Commerce Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut said that the Ministry has been holding talks through its channels for procedural facilitation and was hopeful that the results would come soon.

On the occasion, Federation senior vice-president Sur Krishna Baidya, vice-president Naresh Lal Shrestha, former vice-president Hemraj Dhakal, president of Nepal Tea Producers’ Association Aditya Parajuli and other industrialists said that the new standard operating system (SOP) issued recently by the Indian Tea Board has created more complications in the export of Nepali tea.

Stating that there was no problem in the quality of Nepali tea, he stressed that this issue should be raised prominently in bilateral trade mechanisms with Indian side.