The government’s buyback scheme for cardamom did not go down well with the farmers of Tashibi in Zhemgang. They are not happy with the price offered when they have to take into account its production and marketing costs.
Farmers are taking back home about 2,000 kilograms of cardamom from the auction in Panbang. They sold only a few bags of the spice and realised the prices they were fetching were low.
This government’s rate for the A grade cardamom was Nu 470 a kilogram while a lower quality fetched Nu 390.
“Because of low price, we have decided not to sell our yield in the auction,” Sonam Gyeltsen fromTashibi said.
“For us, we have to carry our produce on the back for three hours to the nearby road point and then hire a bolero truck to Panbang which we have to pay Nu 1,500. So, there are no benefits in taking our produce to the auction,” Sherub Dorj, also from Tashibi, said.
“We are hoping that FCB and the government would revise or increase the cardamom price soon,” Sangay Jamyang, from Salapong, said.
Besides those brought at the auction, farmers of Shalingtoed_Tashibi chiwog still have acres of cardamom almost ready for harvest. They said they will store it and wait for the price to improve.
Cardamom farmers in the chiwog experienced a bountiful harvest this season. However, its price has come as a huge disappointment for them.
