Kathmandu, Jan. 9 -- In December 2017, the National Planning Commission held a discussion with Qatari officials on short- and medium-term opportunities to export for Nepali agricultural produce to Qatar as countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council imposed a blockade on the natural gas-rich nation.

The Qatari government had asked Nepal whether it can export organic foods-particularly green vegetables and dairy products-on a long term basis that would be worth over $2 billion annually.

The planning commission, the apex body that frames the government's development policies and programmes, was just clueless about the Qatari government's proposal as there is no commercial farming in Nepal at such a scale.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Agri...