Cold chain and post-harvest storage
Fruit and vegetable losses after harvest are large and cold storage is scarce, while Nepal keeps importing fresh produce.
- A senior NARC scientist cited at a UNDP project launch put post-harvest losses at 20 to 35 percent for fruit and 15 to 30 percent for vegetables, and said Nepal had only about 35 cold stores of roughly 3,000 tonnes average capacity (undated, so the count is old).undp.org (opens in a new tab)Check
- Customs data reported in the trade press show fruit imports of about Rs 21.2 billion in FY 2024/25, up from Rs 19.6 billion the year before; apples were over half.freshplaza.com (opens in a new tab)Check
- A potato study found only about 3 percent of farmers had access to cold storage.nepjol.info (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Shared cooling room or solar-powered cold box at a collection centre
- Refrigerated pickup or insulated-van transport of vegetables and dairy
- Ripening and grading service for fruit traders
- Crates and clean packaging hire to farmer groups
- Barriers
- High electricity cost and unreliable supply in rural areas; Equipment cost is large for one young person; works best as a cooperative or group; Needs steady volume from farmers year-round
- Registration
- Company or firm registration, municipal business licence, food/warehouse registration with the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control if storing food for sale.
- Where
- Collection hubs along highways: Kavre, Dhading, Chitwan, Jhapa, Kaski, Surkhet, Jumla (apple), Mustang.
Food processing and packaging to replace imports
Nepal's recorded food import bill is large and includes processed and packaged goods that local small producers could make.
- A draft SDPI policy brief says the recorded food import bill reached about NPR 364 billion in 2025, roughly 18 percent of merchandise imports (draft, provisional).sdpi.org (opens in a new tab)Check
- Mushroom association says canned and other processed mushrooms are imported while fresh output covers only about half of demand.english.onlinekhabar.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Dried fruit, jams, pickles, sauces made in a small licensed kitchen
- Spice and masala packing with proper labels
- Roasted nuts, makhana and millet snacks
- Contract packing for other small brands
- Barriers
- Standards, labelling and shelf-life testing cost money; Retail shelf access is controlled by distributors; Raw material price swings
- Registration
- Company or firm registration, industry registration (cottage/small), and food product registration and licence from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC).
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Butwal, Pokhara, Biratnagar and near the raw material source (Jumla apple, Ilam tea and ginger, Terai fruit).
Waste collection, segregation and recycling
Cities generate hundreds of tonnes a day, most of it organic, with little formal recycling and a lot of informal, unrecorded scrap handling.
- A material-flow study for Kathmandu Metropolitan City estimated about 630 tonnes of waste a day, 35 percent above the official figure, with roughly 114 tonnes a day of recyclables recovered by about 660 informal scrap dealers.eawag.ch (opens in a new tab)Check
- A valley resource recovery study found organics were about 71 percent of household waste in the sample and only about half of reusable and recyclable material was being recovered.nepjol.info (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Door-to-door waste pickup contract with a ward or apartment block
- Dry-waste buying and baling for sale to recyclers
- Organic waste to compost or biogas
- Plastic and paper pickup for schools and offices
- Barriers
- Landfill and tipping access controlled by municipalities; Low prices for recyclables in a volatile market; Social stigma and health risk for workers
- Registration
- Firm registration, municipal agreement or licence to collect waste, and Environmental Protection Act compliance for processing sites.
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Bharatpur, Biratnagar, Butwal and fast-growing municipalities.
Organic fertiliser and compost
Chemical fertiliser is short every season and depends on imports, which opens space for local compost, vermicompost and bio-inputs.
- In May 2026 the government sought an urgent 80,000 tonne government-to-government purchase from India before the paddy season; officials said around 250,000 tonnes are needed for paddy planting alone.kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
- An IFDC-listed study estimated fertiliser supplied in 2018/19 met only about 60 percent of effective demand.hub.ifdc.org (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Vermicompost units for kitchen gardens and organic farms
- Compost from market and kitchen waste sold in 25 kg bags
- Bokashi or liquid bio-fertiliser for rooftop and nursery growers
- Barriers
- Compost is bulky and low value per kg, so transport cost matters; Farmers prefer subsidised chemical fertiliser; Quality and nutrient claims need checking
- Registration
- Firm registration; fertiliser sale generally needs registration under the Fertilizer Control Order and Plant Protection Act (check with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development).
- Where
- Near cities with market waste and near vegetable belts: Kavre, Dhading, Chitwan, Kaski, Jhapa.
Elderly and home care
The share of older people is rising while migration pulls working-age family members abroad; formal care provision is thin.
- Census-based analysis puts people aged 60 and over at about 10.2 percent of the population in 2021, up from 5.8 percent in 1991.nepjol.info (opens in a new tab)Check
- A paper on demographic shift notes out-migration of working-age people is straining family care and geriatric services; only about 70 old-age organisations were reported registered.nepjol.info (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Trained home caregiver agency for families whose children are abroad
- Day-care and activity club for seniors
- Medicine pickup, hospital escort and physiotherapy visits
- Meal delivery for older people living alone
- Barriers
- Trust and training are essential; Families may not yet pay for care outside the home; Few recognised caregiver training standards
- Registration
- Firm registration; if providing nursing or physiotherapy, staff need Nepal Health Professional Council registration; residential care centres need social welfare registration and local approval.
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Gandaki and Koshi hills with older populations.
Pet care and veterinary supply
Few veterinarians per animal, many leave the country, and urban pet ownership is growing.
- A 2024 paper reports about 1,982 Nepal Veterinary Council registered vets in March 2024, roughly a quarter living abroad, and a very low number compared with livestock and pets.nepjol.info (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Pet grooming and boarding
- Pet food and supplies shop with delivery
- Veterinary assistant or para-vet service with a licensed vet
- Poultry and goat health supply shop in rural areas
- Barriers
- Treating animals needs a registered vet; Imported pet food is price-sensitive; Pet market is small outside big cities
- Registration
- Firm registration; veterinary medicine shops need a licence from the Department of Livestock Services and a registered vet or technician; check Nepal Veterinary Council rules.
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Biratnagar for pets; any livestock district for farm animal supply.
Bamboo, NTFP and medicinal and aromatic plants
Large resource base, but most herbs leave as raw material with little local processing.
- Kathmandu Post reporting on government statistics says 7,000 to 27,000 tonnes of medicinal plants are collected and traded out of Nepal a year, valued at around 60 million US dollars; experts call the potential untapped.kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Community nursery for herbs and bamboo seedlings
- Essential oil distillation (citronella, lemongrass, timur) with a farmer group
- Lokta paper and handmade products
- Bamboo furniture and crafts for hotels and homes
- Barriers
- Harvest permits and forest user group rules; Export paperwork and quality testing; Prices set by a few buyers
- Registration
- Firm and industry registration, collection and transport permits from the district forest office, and export registration with the relevant offices for herbs.
- Where
- Community forest areas of Dolakha, Sindhupalchok, Gorkha, Jumla, Humla, Dolpa, Ilam, Panchthar and Terai bamboo belts.
Laundry, cleaning and facility services
Growing urban apartments, hospitals, hotels and offices need reliable professional laundry and cleaning, which is still mostly informal.
- No national official data found; reasoning is from urban growth and rising use of rented flats and hotels. Needs a local demand survey.Check
Ways in
- Pickup and delivery laundry for flats and students
- Linen service for small hotels and homestays
- Deep cleaning of homes, offices and after-construction
- Sofa and carpet cleaning
- Barriers
- Water and drainage rules for washing units; Trust and damage claims; Staff turnover
- Registration
- Firm registration and municipal business licence; wastewater compliance for larger units.
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Butwal, Biratnagar, tourist towns.
Electronics repair, refurbishment and e-waste
Households change phones often and generate tens of thousands of tonnes of e-waste a year, but only a few hundred tonnes are formally processed.
- Ekantipur, citing the UN Global E-waste Monitor 2024, reports about 42,000 tonnes of e-waste generated a year in Nepal, with Nepal lacking a reliable government collection mechanism.ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check
- Nepali Times profile says Doko Recyclers processes only a few hundred tonnes of e-waste a year and that Nepalis change phones about every 15 months.nepalitimes.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Phone, laptop and appliance repair shop
- Refurbish and resell used laptops and phones
- Collection point partnering with a registered recycler
- Solar light and inverter repair
- Barriers
- Spare parts supply and counterfeits; Handling hazardous waste safely; Warranty and trust issues in resale
- Registration
- Firm registration and municipal licence; e-waste processing needs environmental approval, so most beginners should collect and hand over to a licensed recycler.
- Where
- Every town for repair; Kathmandu Valley for recycling partnerships.
EV servicing, charging and battery recycling
Electric cars dominate new car imports, but servicing skills, spares and battery end-of-life handling are thin.
- Customs-based reports show 13,578 electric passenger vehicles imported in FY 2024/25 and 10,847 in FY 2025/26 (down 20 percent), about two thirds or more of all car imports.en.meroauto.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- EV and e-scooter servicing with a trained technician
- Charging point hosting at a shop or guesthouse
- Battery pack testing and second-life storage for solar
- Tyre, brake and accessory service for EVs
- Barriers
- High-voltage safety skill and training are needed; Dealer warranty controls parts; Charging infrastructure rules still developing
- Registration
- Firm registration and workshop licence; vehicle workshop and charging station rules from the Department of Transport Management and local government (check current).
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Chitwan, Butwal, Birgunj and highway towns.
Agri-drone and farm machinery hire
Farm labour is leaving for abroad; small farmers need machines they cannot afford to buy.
- Migration-driven farm labour shortage is widely reported; no single official statistic was retrieved. Needs verification with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development mechanisation data.Check
Ways in
- Tiller, reaper, thresher or rice transplanter hire
- Spraying service using a licensed drone operator
- Mini-tractor ploughing contracts
- Machine repair for local farmers
- Barriers
- Machine price and loan access; Seasonal use; idle months; Drone flying rules and operator permits
- Registration
- Firm registration; drone flights need approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal; machinery subsidy schemes via local government and agriculture offices.
- Where
- Terai (Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Bardiya, Jhapa) and mid-hill terraces for small machines.
Beekeeping and honey products
Domestic honey does not cover demand and imports are being allowed again.
- December 2025 report says Nepal consumes about 9,200 tonnes of honey a year, that farmers produce less than half of it, and that beekeepers are worried after honey imports were allowed.ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Small apiary of 10 to 30 hives
- Queen and colony multiplication
- Honey processing, bottling and branding
- Hive products (wax, propolis) and pollination service to orchards
- Barriers
- Cheap imports and adulterated honey; Disease and pesticide exposure for bees; Brand trust takes time
- Registration
- Firm registration; honey packaging needs DFTQC product registration; bee-related support through the Department of Agriculture and local agriculture offices.
- Where
- Mid-hills and Terai near mustard, litchi, citrus; Kavre, Chitwan, Gorkha, Jhapa, Ilam, Kaski.
Mushroom and microgreens
Domestic output covers roughly half of demand according to the producers' association; processed products are imported.
Ways in
- Oyster or button mushroom room selling to hotels and markets
- Spawn production
- Dried and pickled mushroom
- Microgreens sold to restaurants and supermarkets
- Barriers
- Heat and humidity control; Quick spoilage without a cold room; Disease in the growing room
- Registration
- Firm registration; spawn and processed products may need DFTQC or agriculture office registration.
- Where
- Peri-urban areas of Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Chitwan, Butwal; any town with a restaurant market.
Local-language content and edtech
Most online learning and entertainment is in English or Hindi; high demand for Nepali, Maithili, Newari, Tamang and other languages and for exam preparation.
- No official data found. Reasoning from smartphone spread and exam-driven demand (SEE, Loksewa, IELTS, engineering). Needs a local demand test.Check
Ways in
- Paid exam-prep videos or WhatsApp study groups (Loksewa, driving licence, IELTS)
- Mother-tongue children's stories and learning apps
- Short courses for skills such as tailoring or phone repair in Nepali
- Subtitling and translation services
- Barriers
- Low willingness to pay; Payment friction for small amounts; Content piracy
- Registration
- Firm registration; online payments need an eSewa or Khalti merchant account; content must follow copyright and social media rules.
- Where
- Anywhere with internet; strongest audience in the Terai, hills and returning migrants.
Logistics for e-commerce in smaller cities
Online sellers cluster in the Kathmandu Valley while demand and deliveries are spreading to other cities.
- Department officials estimate over 90 percent of active online merchants are in the Kathmandu Valley; fast-delivery services are only now spreading to Pokhara and beyond.kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
- Daraz Express launched in November 2025, reporting service in 108 cities and 24 hour local and 48 hour inter-city targets (company claims).sharesansar.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Local rider network as a delivery partner for big platforms
- Cash-on-delivery handling and returns pickup point
- Small-seller fulfilment and packing service
- Intra-city same-day delivery for local shops
- Barriers
- Platforms set low per-parcel rates; Fuel and rider costs; Cash handling risk
- Registration
- Firm registration, rider licences and vehicle bluebooks; e-commerce listing for sellers under the Electronic Commerce Act.
- Where
- Pokhara, Butwal, Bharatpur, Biratnagar, Dharan, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi, Janakpur.
Sports, fitness and recreation
Gym use is spreading to office workers and older people; futsal grew fast in the capital and has reached other cities.
- Kathmandu Post piece republished by Asia News Network says gyms now attract office workers and retirees and young people's attendance has risen significantly.asianews.network (opens in a new tab)Check
- Kathmandu Post (2014) reported futsal spreading to Pokhara, Butwal, Biratnagar, Banepa and Dharan; the valley had nearly 200 courts by 2018 and the sector faced regulation in 2016.kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Certified personal trainer or small-group classes
- Yoga and Zumba studio
- Youth sports academy (football, cricket, badminton, martial arts)
- Sports equipment shop and repair
- Barriers
- Competition from existing gyms; Land and rent for courts; Need for certified instructors
- Registration
- Firm registration, municipal business licence, and local rules for sports facilities; trainers need recognised certification.
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara and growing district headquarters.
Water purification and safe drinking water
Most households' drinking water is contaminated even when the source is classed as improved.
- Nepal's 2024-25 MICS survey, reported by Kantipur in February 2026, found E. coli in drinking water at 60.4 percent of households; 98.2 percent use an improved source.ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Household filter and chlorine sales plus servicing
- Community water treatment kiosk with refill service
- Water testing kits and test service for schools and hotels
- Tank cleaning service
- Barriers
- Bottled water rules and quality tests; Competition from filter brands; Customers need repeat service contracts
- Registration
- Firm registration; drinking water sold in containers needs Nepal Standards (NS) mark and DFTQC approval; filter selling needs only firm registration.
- Where
- Kathmandu Valley, Terai towns with arsenic risk, flood-hit areas, schools and health posts.
Construction materials from local resources
Sand and aggregate supply is erratic and regulated, and earth-block and other local alternatives are only partly adopted.
- Crusher industries halted sales in 2023 over an unrenewed registration, and the government has closed illegal crushers after shortages.sharesansar.com (opens in a new tab)Check
- Build Up Nepal makes interlocking compressed stabilised earth blocks from local soil with 7 to 10 percent cement, claiming savings; these are self-reported.nepalitimes.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Ways in
- Compressed earth block or paver production unit
- Bamboo and timber alternatives for light buildings
- Recycled aggregate from demolition
- Roof tiles and tiles from local clay
- Barriers
- Building code compliance and engineer acceptance; Customer preference for concrete and fired brick; Machine cost and cement price
- Registration
- Industry registration, municipal and environmental approval; products used in buildings need to meet the Nepal Building Code.
- Where
- Earthquake-affected hills, Terai and near towns with building activity.
