Galkot (Baglung), 30 January: Cardamom production has increased in Baglung. Due to the expansion of the area, farmers of Baglung were able to produce 48 metric tons of cardamom last year.
According to the statistics of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, farmers here have managed to earn 60 million rupees from the sale of cardamom in one fiscal year. Bali Bhadra Sapkota, a farmer from Jaimini Municipality Ward No. 2, said that cardamom cultivation is expanding every year in the hope of getting a good price. According to him, farmers in Baglung have received a lower price for cardamom compared to other districts. Cardamom has been sold here at a rate of 1,250 rupees per kg.
The attraction of farmers here is increasing every year as the production yields good income. The expansion of cardamom cultivation has confirmed this. In the fiscal year 078/79, cardamom was cultivated on 128 hectares of land. Of which 42 metric tons were produced. When sold at the rate of 950 rupees per kg, farmers made a turnover of 39.9 million rupees. In the fiscal year 079/80(2023/24), cultivation was expanded to 131 hectares of land, but production decreased. 38 metric tons were produced that year. Farmer Sapkota said that production decreased due to the infection of cardamom with a disease that causes the base of the cardamom to rot and leaves and stems to dry.
The Agricultural Knowledge Center has stated that farmers have already sold cardamom in the month of Kartik in the current fiscal year, but the exact data collection is underway to determine how much was traded. Santosh Adhikari, Crop Protection Officer and Information Officer of the Knowledge Center, informed that cardamom cultivation has currently expanded to 140 hectares of land in the district, and out of this, cardamom planted in 96 hectares has started yielding.
A ‘Cardamom Zone’ has been created by covering eight out of the 10 local levels of Baglung. Narayan Poudel, Acting Senior Agriculture Officer of the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Project, Project Implementation Unit, Baglung, said that the zone establishment program was approved in the current fiscal year and its implementation has begun. He informed that the zone has been established by covering 12 cardamom pocket areas and two cardamom blocks.
Information Officer Poudel said that cardamom is being produced in various places in Tarakhola, Kathekhola, Badigad Rural Municipality, Bareng and Nisikhola Rural Municipality, and Baglung, Jaimini and Galkot Municipality.
If cardamom cultivation is managed well, it can produce for up to 10 years after planting. The cardamom produced by farmers is divided into different quality grades and sold at different prices.
