The Government of Nepal has streamlined the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy's (NTIS) list of high value goods and services with export potential, reducing the items from 19 to 12, to promote competitiveness and increase production capacity to meet domestic and international demand.

Products and services in the revised NTIS include:

• Large cardamom; ginger; tea; herbs; fabrics, textile, yarn, and rope; leather; footwear; chyangra pashmina; and knotted carpets; and 
• Skilled and semi-skilled professionals; IT services and business process outsourcing; and tourism.

Fabrics, textile and yarn; leather; and footwear - have become more competitive as exportable products - were added to the list. Products removed include lentils, honey, noodles, handmade paper, silver jewelery, and iron and steel. In services, health, education, engineering and hydroelectricity were taken out.

A Government-conducted assessment of NTIS-listed products reports:

• significant increase in export volume, production and quality of tea, raw and processed hides, footwear, chyangra pashmina, IT and business process outsourcing and tourist expenditure;
• modest growth in large cardamom, ginger and herbal products; 
• steady increase in synthetic yarn, synthetic woven fabrics, and jute fabrics and bags; and 
• rebound in exports of hand-knotted carpets through market and product diversification.

According to Nepal Commerce Minister Jayanta Chand, the revised NTIS will allow the Government to focus on enhancing the supply chain. Standardizing quality and prices, and ensuring stable supply will enable Nepalese traders to meet demand in the international market.

Related Link:

• List of goods, services with export potential cut to 12