NEPAL NATIONAL SECTOR EXPORT STRATEGY HANDMADE PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS 2017-2021 Government of Nepal This national sector export strategy was developed on the basis of the process, methodology and technical assistance of the International Trade Centre ( ITC ) within the framework of its Trade Development Strategy programme. ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. As part of its mandate of fostering sustainable development through increased trade opportunities, the ITC offers a suite of trade-related strategy solutions to maximize the development payoffs from trade. ITC-facilitated trade devel- opment strategies and roadmaps are oriented to the trade objectives of a country or region and can be tailored to high-level economic goals, specific development targets or particular sectors, allowing policymakers to choose the solution that meets their needs. The views expressed herein do not reflect the official opinion of ITC. Mention of firms, products and product brands does not imply the endorsement of ITC. This document has not been formally edited by ITC. The International Trade Centre ( ITC ) Street address: ITC 54-56, rue de Montbrillant 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Postal address: ITC Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Telephone: +41 - 22 730 0111 Fax: +41 - 22 733 4439 E-mail: itcreg @ intracen.org Internet: http : / / www.intracen.org Layout: Jesús Alés – www.sputnix.es NEPAL NATIONAL SECTOR EXPORT STRATEGY HANDMADE PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS 2017-2021 Government of Nepal Photo: ITC, Lokta paper INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Handmade Paper and Paper Products Sector Export The document benefited particularly from inputs and Strategy of Nepal was developed under the aegis of the guidance provided by the members of the handmade Ministry of Commerce (MoC), with the financial support paper and paper products core team that steered the and technical assistance of the ITC Trust Fund. formulation of the sector strategy, namely: Name Function Organization Mr. Manoj Acharya Under Secretary Ministry of Commerce ITC Focal Point Mr. Bimal Nepal Deputy Director General Trade and Export Promotion Centre Strategy Navigator Ms. Anita Niraula Under Secretary Ministry of Commerce Mr. Mohan Krishna Manandhar President Nepal Handmade Paper Association Mr. Kiran Dangol Senior Vice-President Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal Mr. Ichhya Bahadur Karki Vice-President Nepal Handmade Paper Association Mr. Chhong Nobu Sherpa Treasurer Nepal Handmade Paper Association Mr. Ramesh Lal Shrestha Secretary Nepal Handmade Paper Association Mr. Suhrid Chapagain Researcher on market systems Independent development Mr. Rajendra Singh Deputy Director Trade and Export Promotion Centre Senior official, Ms. Mina Aryal (Under Secretary Ministry of Commerce and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Pemanent Mission of Nepal to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva) Mr.Toya Narayan Gyawali, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce was fully involved in coordinating all the activities in preparation of this Strategy. Technical support and guidance from the ITC was rendered through: Name Function Organization Marion Jansen Chief Economist ITC Anton Said Head Trade Strategy Programme ITC Olivier Marty Adviser, Trade Strategy and Competitiveness ITC Project Leader Murari P. Gautam Upadhyay International consultant ITC Assisted by Tiantian Xiang and Clariesse Jami Mari Chan IV INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE ACRONYMS AEC Agro Enterprise Centre GI Geographical Indication AEPC Alternative Energy Promotion Centre GIZ German Society for International Cooperation BCP Bhaktapur Craft Printers HANDPASS Nepal Handmade Paper Association BSCI Business Social Compliance Initiative HANDECEN Handicraft Design and Development Centre CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate HIMALI High Mountain Agribusiness and Livelihood CBI Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Improvement Developing Countries HS Harmonized System CFUG Community Forest User Group ISO International Organization for Standardization CoC Code of Conduct ITC International Trade Centre CSIDB Cottage and Small Industries Development MEDEP Micro Enterprise Development Programme Board MoC Ministry of Commerce DCSI Department of Cottage and Small Industries MoFSC Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation DFRS Department of Forest Research and Survey MoI Ministry of Industry DoF Department of Forests MoSTE Ministry of Science, Technology and DoPR Department of Plant Resources Environment EIF Enhanced Integrated Framework NBSM Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology ETI Ethical Trading Initiative NECTRADE Nepal Enhanced Capacities for Trade EU European Union and Development FAO Food and Agriculture Organization NGO Non-governmental organization of the United Nations NTIS Nepal Trade Integration Strategy FECOFUN Federation of Community Forestry Users, PoA Plan of Action Nepal R&D Research and Development FHAN Federation of Handicraft Associations REACH Registration, Evaluation, Authorization of Nepal and Restriction of Chemicals FLEGT Forest Law Enforcement, Governance SME Small and Medium-sized Enterprise and Trade TEPC Trade and Export Promotion Centre FNCCI Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce TSN Trade Support Network and Industry UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund FSC Forest Stewardship Council WFTO World Fair Trade Organization INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE V CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . III ACRONYMS . IV FOREWORD BY MR . MEEN BAHADUR BISHWAKARMA, HON . COMMERCE MINISTER . IX FOREWORD BY MR . NAR BAHADUR CHAND, HON . STATE MINISTER FOR COMMERCE . X FOREWORD BY MR . CHANDRA KUMAR GHIMIRE, COMMERCE SECRETARY . XI FOREWORD BY MS . ARANCHA GONZÁLEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE . XIII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 THE PRODUCT MAP 5 GLOBAL TRENDS IN HANDICRAFTS AND HOME DECORATION 9 HANDMADE PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS IN NEPAL : VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS 15 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE . 15 STRUCTURE OF PRODUCTION : LOKTA PLANT, HANDMADE PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS . 16 SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE SECTOR . 19 EXPORT PERFORMANCE . 19 MARKET ACCESS CONDITIONS . 21 POLICIES GOVERNINGTHE SECTOR . 24 DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING THE SECTOR . 27 VALUE CHAIN MAPPING : LOCAL LOKTA RESOURCE, LOCAL LABOUR AND LOCAL EXPERTISE . 31 TRADE SUPPORT NETWORK . 38 KEY COMPETITIVE CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING THE VALUE CHAIN . 44 SUPPLY-SIDE CONSTRAINTS . 45 BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT CONSTRAINTS . 49 MARKET ENTRY CONSTRAINTS . 51 VI INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE THE WAY FORWARD 57 THE VISION . 57 THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES . 57 LEVERAGING MARKET AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DOMESTIC AND EXPORT MARKETS . 60 SUMMARY OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN EXPORT MARKETS . 72 MARKET DIVERSIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES . 73 STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE VALUE CHAIN . 74 FUTURE VALUE CHAIN . 83 UPGRADING INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT . 85 LEVERAGING INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE QUALITY AND COMPETITIVENESS . 85 WAYS TOWARDS GREATER SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSIVENESS . 86 STRUCTURE OF THE PLANOF ACTION 89 THE PLAN OF ACTION 91 IMPLEMENTATION MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 99 ESTABLISH AND OPERATIONALIZE A PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COORDINATING BODY, SECTOR FORUM AND ITS SUBSIDIARY ORGAN, SECTOR CORE TEAM . 100 APPENDIX 1 : LIST OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS 102 REFERENCES 103 INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE VII LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 : Handmade paper products . 6 Figure 2 : World imports of handmade paper ( HS code 480210 ), 2001–2015 . 9 Figure 3 : Global trends in handmade paper by value, 2015 ( HS-480210 ) . 10 Figure 4 : Physical map of Nepal . 15 Figure 5 : Lokta production in the different regions in Nepal . 16 Figure 6 : National data showing Lokta collection in different fiscal years, 2002/03– 2011/12 . 17 Figure 7 : Nepali exports of handmade paper and paper products ( HS-48 ) 2009–2015 19 Figure 8 : Export destinations of Nepali handmade paper and paper products ( HS-48 ), 2009–2015 . 21 Figure 9 : Level of Customs duties faced worldwide by Nepali exports of handmade paper ( HS-480210 ) . 22 Figure 10 : Handmade paper and paper products value chain map in Nepal . 36 Figure 11 : Handmade paper and paper products trade support network in Nepal . 37 Figure 12 : Business survey results about TSN performance ( number of respondents ) 42 Figure 13 : Main export destinations of handmade paper and paperboard of Nepal, 2011–2015 . 67 Figure 14 : Main export destinations of Nepali handmade boxes ( HS-4819 ), 2011–2015 . 71 Figure 15 : Main destinations for exports of Nepali notebooks and diaries ( HS-4820 ), 2011–2015 . 73 Figure 16 : Sustainable supply chain engagement principles . 102 Figure 17 : Future value chain diagram . 103 Figure 18 : Machines for producing paper products . Figure 19 : Comparison of BSCI, ETI, WFTO and FSC certification areas and degree of obligation ( number of requirements ) . Figure 20 : Proposed structure for Strategy implementation . 99 VIII INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE TABLES Table 1 : Top five exporters and importers of handmade paper by value ( HS-480210 ) . 10 Table 2 : Average prices of standard size paper . 18 Table 3 : Price analysis – average price structure . 19 Table 4 : Export destinations for handmade paper and paper products between 2011 and 2015 . 20 Table 5 : Investment climate in Nepal and neighbouring countries . 26 Table 6 : Inputs required and supply sources . 31 Table 7 : Main export destinations of handmade paper and paperboards of Nepal ( HS-4801 to HS-4819 ), 2011–2015 . 63 Table 8 : Main export destinations of Nepali handmade