Ministry of Commerce And Supplies - Enhanced Integrated ...

N T I S2010Despite these constraints, ginger is Nepal’s most important spice export and production of this crop is themain cash crop for the small farmers of mid-hills. Environmentally, ginger cultivation contributes towardsreducing soil erosion . There are two potential new opportunities: processing ginger extracts (oleoresin) andthe introduction of higher yielding and better quality cultivars.SPS Support and Third Party Certification [TPC) Required for Ginger ExportsThe main destination market, India, has the following import requirements for ginger. Rhizome ginger fromNepal for domestic consumption must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate and must be free fromquarantine weed seeds and soil. Rhizomes for propagation from Nepal must be free from soil and are subjectto a post-entry quarantine of two or three months. On paper these requirements are fairly straightforward,though there is anecdotal evidence that inspections will generally find ‘evidence’ of soil even in well washedconsignments. In terms of existing capacity within the DoA for phytosanitary export certification of gingerthere are no significant issues. However, all ginger entering India from Nepal has to undergo a further pesticideresidue test at border points. The samples require about three days for the results to return, during whichtime the consignment has to wait at the Nepal-India border crossing. The residue testing and soil issues haveaffected trade in Nepalese ginger in past years (Table 8.3).Suggestions for developing organic ginger and oleoresin production do present some problems. Access to thenecessary certification requires a strongly structured sector with larger commercial processing and marketingcompanies working with well organized smallholder associations. The lack of farmer and marketer knowledgeand techniques in production, grading, packaging, and post-harvest handling, as well as in ginger processingtechnology, is a severe and ongoing constraint.There are some potentially significant government interventions in this sector, including a Government GingerResearch Farm that has released a new and improved variety suitable for the Nepalese soil and climate thatcould maintain the low fibre content of the Bose variety in all environments. Furthermore, the GoN hassupportive policies in place for the crop as it is deemed a high value crop. Within the MoAC, the DFTQC hasthe technical capacity to provide technical support on ginger processing and the DoA has set up a Gingerand Spice Development Programme for technical support and also (through another programme) providesmarketing information services to producers and traders. A number of NGOs provide farmer support.HoneyIntroductionHoneybees are present both in the temperate mountain region and in the hot, humid, subtropical Terai regionof Nepal. There are four indigenous honeybee species, including the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana. Beekeepingwith the Asian honeybee using a variety of fixed comb hives is common and well established in Nepal. It mustbe noted that the use of fixed comb hives is illegal in many countries for SPS reasons. Several types of movableframe hives have been introduced, supplemented by training and extension services, in attempts to improvebeekeeping management techniques with the Asian honeybee. The European honeybee, Apis mellifera, wasrecently introduced mainly in Kathmandu Valley in 1998. Colonies of European bees were imported intoNepal in expectation of greater productivity--possibly four times as productive--and to overcome supposedproblems with Thai sacbrood disease in the Asian honeybee. No government regulations exist concerning theimportation of exotic species.Though a number of bee diseases are OIE notifiable, none have been posted by the DoLS in the WAHIDdatabase. Previous surveys indicate that, at the least, Thai sacbrood virus, European Foul Brood, Varroajacobsoni, and Tropilaelaps clareae are present in Nepal.NEPAL TRADE INTEGRATION STRATEGY 2010BACKGROUND REPORT197