Nepal’s rhododendron tourism sparks unchecked liquor trade concerns
The sale of unlicensed rhododendron liquor has surged in Nepal's Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale region, coinciding with a tourism boom. Local officials express concerns over the lack of safety testing and regulation of these products, which are often sold in reused bottles without proper labeling. The legal ambiguity surrounding the harvesting of rhododendrons from private gardens complicates enforcement of conservation laws.
- ▪Unlicensed rhododendron liquor is being sold openly in tourist shops across eastern Nepal's TMJ region.
- ▪Nepal's conservation laws prohibit commercial harvesting of rhododendrons from community forests without approval.
- ▪Local officials have raised concerns about the safety of the unlabeled products, as none have been tested.
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Mongabay found unlicensed rhododendron liquor being sold openly in tourist shops across eastern Nepal’s Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale (TMJ) region, which is home to at least 26 rhododendron species, with no official labeling, no health testing and no tracking of sources.Nepal’s conservation laws prohibit commercial harvesting of rhododendrons from community forests without approval, but legal ambiguity over privately cultivated flowers has left officials uncertain about how to enforce existing rules.Some rhododendron species contain grayanotoxins that can be toxic, even fatal in rare cases.
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