- The Embassy of Nepal hosted a Calgary workshop to boost exports of organic tea, coffee, and handicrafts to the Canadian market.
- Exporters identified high shipping costs and the lack of internationally recognized quality certifications as major barriers to entering the Canadian market.
- Business leaders urged the government to prioritize practical logistics support and domestic laboratory upgrades over purely diplomatic and promotional discussions.
- The workshop highlighted the potential for the Nepali diaspora in Canada to help bridge trade gaps and meet strict international standards.
Calgary/Kathmandu: For many Nepali entrepreneurs living in Canada, the dream of seeing Nepali products on Canadian shelves represents more than just a business opportunity—it is a connection between two countries and a way to introduce Nepal’s unique products to a wider world.
With this aspiration in mind, the Embassy of Nepal in Ottawa, in collaboration with the Alberta-Nepal Chamber of Commerce, recently organized a focus group workshop in Calgary to discuss ways to strengthen Nepal-Canada trade relations. The event brought together Nepali business owners, entrepreneurs, trade representatives, Ambassador Bharat Paudyal, and government officials for a conversation on how Nepal can increase exports and create stronger economic links with Canada.
Participants discussed possible opportunities for Nepali products, including organic tea, Himalayan coffee, handicrafts, traditional goods, and other products that could appeal to Canadian consumers. The workshop provided a platform for entrepreneurs to share their experiences, highlight challenges, and suggest ways to make it easier for Nepali businesses to enter the Canadian market.
However, behind the optimism of the gathering lies a growing frustration among some business leaders and trade observers. They say Nepal has held many discussions and promotional events over the years, but the country has yet to see meaningful growth in exports to Canada.
“Opening doors is important, but businesses need support to walk through those doors,” many exporters argue. They believe that Nepal’s trade promotion efforts must move beyond meetings and photographs and focus on solving practical problems faced by entrepreneurs.
Canada has already provided Nepal with an important advantage through its General Preferential Tariff (GPT) scheme, which allows many Nepali products to enter the Canadian market with preferential tariff treatment. Yet, Nepal has not been able to fully benefit from this opportunity. Bilateral trade remains relatively small, estimated at around C$35 million to C$50 million annually, with Canada continuing to maintain a trade surplus.
For small producers in Nepal, the challenge is not only finding customers abroad but also meeting the standards required by international markets. Many exporters say that products with strong potential, such as organic orthodox tea and Himalayan coffee, face difficulties reaching Canadian consumers because of certification and quality-testing requirements.
A Nepali tea producer may have a high-quality product grown in the hills of Nepal, but without internationally recognized testing and certification, entering a supermarket in Canada becomes extremely difficult. This gap between production capacity and international market requirements has become one of the biggest obstacles for Nepali exporters.
Business communities argue that Nepal needs to strengthen its domestic laboratories and quality-control systems to meet international standards, including those required by agencies such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). They say improving these systems would not only benefit exports to Canada but also help Nepal compete in other global markets.
Transportation costs present another major challenge. As a landlocked country located far from North American markets, Nepal faces higher shipping expenses compared with many competing countries. Exporters say government support in logistics management, trade facilitation, and international distribution networks is essential if Nepali products are to become competitive.
The Nepali community in Canada could also play a larger role in promoting trade, according to experts. Thousands of Nepalis living across Canada have cultural connections and business networks that could help introduce Nepali products to Canadian consumers. However, many believe this potential has not been fully organized or utilized.
The workshop also comes at a time when Nepal and Canada are discussing ways to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations. Nepal has repeatedly emphasized the importance of having a Canadian diplomatic presence in Kathmandu, arguing that it could improve trade, investment, and consular cooperation. However, experts say stronger diplomacy must be supported by reforms inside Nepal itself.
Trade specialists believe events like the Calgary workshop are useful because they bring government officials and entrepreneurs together. But they emphasize that the real measure of success should be the number of new business partnerships, export contracts, and market opportunities created after such meetings.
For Nepali entrepreneurs in Canada, the message is clear: they do not only need speeches about trade opportunities—they need systems that help them turn those opportunities into reality.
The future of Nepal-Canada trade will depend not only on diplomatic goodwill but also on Nepal’s ability to improve product quality, reduce barriers, support exporters, and build a reliable supply chain. Only then can the promise of Nepali products reaching Canadian homes become a sustainable reality rather than an unfinished ambition.
