SATV, Kathmandu, May. 07 - A Tea Testing, Promotion and Research Centre built in Kanyam of Suryodaya Municipality-7 in Ilam is set to come into operation. 

The centre, first of its kind in Nepal, will begin functioning after an agreement between the Koshi Province Planning Commission, the Ministry of Industry, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Koshi Province, and Suryodaya Municipality.

Constructed at a cost of over Rs. 180 million, with 75 per cent funding from the Koshi Province Government and 25 per cent from the municipality, the centre had remained unused due to a lack of technical manpower. 

Following a recent agreement involving key provincial officials, the Ministry has committed to providing the required skilled personnel and equipment, paving the way for its operation, said Chief Administrative Officer Bigyan Koirala.

According to acting mayor Durga Kumar Baral, the centre will now be run as per the approved Detailed Project Report (DPR) and the operational guidelines endorsed on 20 February, 2020. 

Once technical staff are deployed, the laboratory within the facility will begin functioning.

Koirala added that arrangements have also been made to ensure effective service delivery from the tea testing lab on the ground floor. 

The provincial ministry will supply necessary experts and equipment in coordination with relevant agencies, including prior agreements with the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

Under the agreement, initial programmes will include surveys of tea farmers and production, testing of green leaves and processed tea, and analysis of diseases and pesticide use. 

These efforts will be jointly carried out by the Koshi Province Government, Suryodaya Municipality and the provincial chamber of commerce. 

Following the survey, farmers and tea entrepreneurs will be linked to the centre.

Despite completion, the lab had remained idle due to the lack of equipment and trained personnel, with existing infrastructure at risk of deterioration. 

The municipality had formally requested the provincial ministry in April 27, 2026 to facilitate its operation.

Koirala emphasised that while infrastructure has been built through provincial and local investment, the federal government should operate the laboratory to ensure international recognition of test results. 

Concerns remain over whether tests conducted solely at provincial or local levels would gain global acceptance.

The municipality has already signed a contract with a private operator to manage parts of the facility, excluding the laboratory. 

Preparations are under way to operate services such as a cafe, seminar hall, guest house and administrative units, while the lab will be run through coordination among all three tiers of government.

Although rumours suggest the facility has been fully leased out, officials clarified that only designated sections, mainly accommodation-related, have been rented in line with the original plan, while the core research lab remains under government operation.

Suryodaya Municipality, often referred to as Nepal’s tea capital, lies in Ilam district, the country’s largest producer of orthodox tea. 

However, as around 80 per cent of Nepal’s tea is exported to India, producers face delays and hurdles due to testing requirements. 

At times, exports have been restricted over pesticide concerns and lengthy certification processes.

Currently ranked 16th among 45 tea-producing countries, Nepal produces around 7.5 million kilograms of orthodox tea annually, generating over Rs. 15 billion in economic transactions both domestically and internationally, according to Indra Adhikari, Regional Head of the National Tea and Coffee Development Board’s Tea Expansion Project.