Phungling, July 19 : Cardamom farmers in Taplejung have secured an income of Rs 1.35 billion in a year.  

  
Farmers of cardamom pocket zone produced 2,006 metric tonnes of cardamom in a year and of the total product, they export 2,000 metric tonnes worth Rs 1.35 billion, said the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project, Cardamom Zone Office, Taplejung.     

The data shows that around six tonnes of cardamom was consumed within the district.    

Though, cardamom zone covers an area of 3,700 hectares of an area, only 3,400 hectares of land is productive, said Cardamom Zone Agriculture Development officer Shambhu Prasad Dev.    

The cardamom cultivation has been done at almost all wards of Phungling municipality-11. Likewise, it takes place at all six wards of Maiwakhola rural municipality followed by six wards of Phaktanglung rural municipality and five wards at Mikkakhola rural municipality.   

 
Farmers of three wards (3, 4, and 5) of Aathrai Tribeni rural municipality and two wards (1 and 2) of Pathibhara Yangwarak rural municipality are engaged in cardamom farming. Likewise, the farming is practised at five wards (except ward 30) of Merignden rural municipality and at ward 6 of Sirijunga rural municipality.

Out of 61 wards across the district, the cardamom zone programme has been implemented in 39 wards, it is said.