Lesser rainfall and excessive heat for the past six month has dried the cardamom plants at Taabji village under Darla Gewog in Chhukha leaving the farmers worried.
Cardamom is the main source of sustenance for most farmers there.
Forty nine-year-old Arjun Masarangi started cardamom farming in 2013. Half of his cardamom plants have dried out. Since he depends on cardamom for livelihood, he is worried.
But he is hopeful that the monsoon this summer would stabilise the situation.
“It has been almost six month without the rain. The cardamom plants have dried. Thankfully the rain few days back made the soil wet. I have school going children and I rely on cardamom. It worries me a bit.”
Other farmers shared similar concerns.
“This is the third year since I planted the cardamom. I thought I will reap the fruit this year. But due to excessive heat and lesser rain, almost 60 percent of my cardamom plants have dried. The cold here makes it worse,” said Indra Bhadur Mongar.
Similarly, the cardamom plants in nearby regions have also dried. Farmers start harvesting cardamom in July and goes on till October.
A kilogram of cardamom fetches in between Nu 800 to Nu 1,700. Taabji village has close to 40 households.
