Market Access Barriers to Select Nepalese Agricultural Exports

The report analyzes market access barriers for Nepalese exports of tea, natural honey, floriculture, medicinal plants, and vegetable seeds. It finds that neighboring South Asian markets primarily employ high tariff peaks, while developed markets rely more heavily on non-tariff measures (NTMs). The authors argue that Nepal should leverage the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) and WTO LDC status to negotiate the removal of these barriers, while seeking technical assistance to meet stringent international standards.

• Nepalese agricultural exports face a distinct divide in the type of barriers encountered: neighboring countries primarily utilize high tariffs, whereas developed countries predominantly use non-tariff measures (NTMs).
• In neighboring markets, bound tariffs for several agricultural products are as high as 200 per cent, which the report suggests act similarly to quantitative restrictions by effectively blocking export possibilities.
• The European Union's stringent standards and the 'precautionary principle' have negatively impacted Nepalese honey exports, leading to Nepal being delisted from the EU's approved exporting countries list over two years prior to the report.
• The Republic of Korea is identified as one of the most protected markets for several Nepalese products, including tea, honey, and medicinal plants, often employing Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) and high bound tariffs.
• Developed countries' agricultural support systems, specifically within the OECD, cause significant welfare losses to developing nations, with some estimates suggesting annual losses of US$19.8 billion.
• Nepal lacks the necessary financial and technical resources to meet the high health, safety, and environmental standards imposed by developed countries, which often exceed international benchmarks like those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

APA

Adhikari, R., & Adhikari, K. (2005). Market Access Barriers to Select Nepalese Agricultural Exports. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_market_access_nepal.pdf

Chicago

Adhikari, Ratnakar, and Kamalesh Adhikari. Market Access Barriers to Select Nepalese Agricultural Exports. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2005. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_market_access_nepal.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Adhikari |first1=Ratnakar |last2=Adhikari |first2=Kamalesh |title=Market Access Barriers to Select Nepalese Agricultural Exports |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=December 2005 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_market_access_nepal.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{adhikari2005market, author = {Adhikari, Ratnakar and Adhikari, Kamalesh}, title = {{Market Access Barriers to Select Nepalese Agricultural Exports}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2005}, month = dec, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_market_access_nepal.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }