Nepal ginger export to India came to a halt: reasons unknown

Officials of Nepal Ginger Producers and Entrepreneurs Association have said they do not know why ginger export to India has come to a halt.

"We do not see any definite reason behind very low demand from Indian importers,” Indra Budhathoki, general secretary of the association, told Republica. “Indian traders have not placed order after GST came into force amid rumors that price of Indian ginger will fall.”

Ginger farmers say that this could be an indication of another halt in ginger export to India after nearly a year.

As India is the main market for ginger produced in eastern Nepal, farmers will have to suffer huge loss if export do not resume immediately.

India had put a ban on import of ginger from Nepal for over two week in September last year, arguing that Nepali ginger had high pesticide residue and that Chinese ginger was being exported in the name of Nepali product.

The export could resume only after lab report showed that Nepali ginger do not have high pesticide residue.