Nepal's 'organic' food labels often just marketing hype, experts say

Urban shoppers in Kathmandu are drawn to regional delicacies from specific districts, believing they are purchasing pristine, natural products. Beans from Jumla, honey from Surkhet, and ginger from Salyan evoke images of untouched mountain soil. However, much of what is sold with labels like 'organic,' 'pure,' or '100 percent natural' is merely unverified marketing hype.

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City dwellers searching for organic and native flavours are ready to empty their pockets without a second thought, lured by beautiful labels and charming product names. The uncomfortable truth today is that neither the seller nor the consumer can verify whether these goods actually come from the soil of those remote villages.

Consumer rights activists and agricultural experts have long warned that the city's appetite for indigenous foods has created a profitable grey market. Shoppers willingly pay higher prices for items bearing revered geographic identities, such as Jethobudho rice from Pokhara or Simi and Marsi rice from Jumla, without any assurance of their origin or chemical purity. "City dwellers searching for organic and native flavours are ready to empty their pockets without a second thought, lured by beautiful labels and charming product names," said Bhupendra Nirajan, general manager and food inspector at NEPCERT, an accredited organic certification body. "The uncomfortable truth today is that neither the seller nor the consumer can verify whether these goods actually come from the soil of those remote villages."

Nirajan noted that consumers often trust package tags over demanding proof of quality. This was underscored by Ram Bhakta Adhikari, acting chief of the Agriculture Development Office in Jumla. He stated that Jumla produces about 3,600 tonnes of beans annually, with only 55 tonnes exported. Yet, "Jumla beans" are sold in massive quantities year-round in Kathmandu supermarkets and online. This glaring discrepancy suggests widespread mislabelling, with produce from low-altitude districts, potentially using fertilizers, being passed off as high-value mountain brands.

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Jumla produces approximately 3,600 tonnes of beans annually, out of which only around 55 tonnes are exported outside the district. Yet in Kathmandu’s supermarkets, online stores, and vegetable outlets, so-called ‘Jumla beans’ are sold in massive quantities all year round.

"It astounds us as well. Most of the beans harvested in Jumla are consumed locally. While our beans are renowned for their distinct taste and quality, produce from entirely different districts is clearly being passed off under Jumla's name in Kathmandu," Adhikari said. This regulatory gap is not new in Nepal's food market. Studies show toxic pesticide residues often exceed permissible levels in produce entering urban centers. Despite public outcry over chemical contamination, state mechanisms have failed to implement integrated tracking systems, leaving city markets vulnerable to fraudulent labeling.

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It astounds us as well. Most of the beans harvested in Jumla are consumed locally. While our beans are renowned for their distinct taste and quality, produce from entirely different districts is clearly being passed off under Jumla's name in Kathmandu.