February 26: Farmers of Lamjung have earned Rs 200 million from the sale of cardamom this year. A total of 380 metric tons of cardamom was sold in the district this year, according to the Prime Minister's Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit Lamjung.    
This year saw a record amount of cardamom sale since commercial farming of cardamom began 38 years ago in 2041 BS.

Farmers sold cardamom at a minimum price of Rs 550 to 700 per kg this year. The sale of cardamom last year fetched between Rs 950 to 1500 per kg. In the previous year, the farmers had earned Rs182 million from the sale of 3,500 quintals of cardamom.    
Compared to the previous year cardamom production of most of the farmers in the district has increased this year.

“The production as well as sale of cardamom has doubled this year compared to last year,” said Ash Bahadur Gurung of Masryangdi Rural Municipality-5. He shared that this year he earned about Rs 555,000 against Rs 400,000 in the previous year.    
Out of 95 households in Gurung's village, 85 households are cultivating cardamom commercially.    
The farmers have however complained about the fluctuating price of cardamom. The farmers have been compelled to sell their produce at much lower prices compared to the past. Farmers say that due to India's monopoly, they are not getting good price for cardamom seeds.    
Although reports say that cardamom is being cultivated in an area of more than 1000 hectares of land in the district it is actually being produced only in 500 hectares. Masryangdi Rural Municipality, Besisahar Municipality, Kholasothar, Dordi and Dudhpokhari rural municipalities have been declared as cardamom pocket areas. -- RSS