Cardamom harvest begins in Lamjung

By Naveenraj Kuinkel,Lamjung, Sept. 23: Harvesting of cardamom has begun in Lamjung, from farms located at altitudes up to 1,200 metres.

Farmers in Tarachowk Shera, Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-7, have started collecting Dambarsai and Jirmale varieties as they ripened earlier this year. “The cardamom ripened sooner than usual, so we began harvesting early. Next, we will dry and grade them before selling,” said farmer Dambar Singh Adhikari, who has cultivated cardamom on over 40 ropanis of land.

“Everyone in the village is busy picking cardamom,” added local farmer Indra Prasad Tamang. “People have even planted cardamom on fallow land and rice fields. As income from cardamom has increased, families who had migrated are now returning to the village.”

Ludi village in Marsyangdi-7, which had only six households after outmigration, now has 19 households as families return for farming. Cardamom has been planted across 400 ropanis in the village. Farmers have formed the Ludi Cardamom Farmers’ Group to cultivate collectively.

Similarly, farmer Loknath Ghimire of Bahundanda, Marsyangdi-6, said he has already harvested and dried cardamom from his six-ropani plot, yielding around 150 kg of the Ramshahi variety.

According to Ajay Tamang, chairperson of the Federation of Cardamom Entrepreneurs, Gandaki Province, cardamoms planted in farms above 1,200 metres will start ripening after Dashain. Out of 1,200 ropanis under cultivation in the district, about 750 ropanis will give produce this year.

In the past, cardamoms were grown on 1,500 ropanis, but much of it was destroyed by disease. Marsyangdi Rural Municipality leads the district with 400 hectares under cultivation, while commercial farming also takes place in Besishahar, Dordi, Dudhpokhari and Kwholasothar municipalities. This year, production is expected to reach 60 metric tonnes.

Farmers in Lamjung earn over Rs. 160 million annually from cardamom sales. With both higher yields and rising prices this year, income may reach around Rs. 200 million, said Som Bahadur Tamang, chairperson of the Lamjung branch of the federation.

At the main trading centre in Birtamod, current prices per man (40 kg) range from Rs. 81,000 to Rs. 92,000 depending on grade. The highest quality, known as “Bold,” is selling at Rs. 92,000 per man. 

The standard variety, “Chalu,” gets Rs. 81,000 per man, while the medium grade “JJ” sells for Rs. 84,000 per man, according to the federation.