Farmers of Korphu Gewog in Trongsa are rejoicing over a bountiful cardamom harvest this year. Each household in the gewog harvested over 400 kilograms of cardamom.
The people in Korphu started growing the spice since the 90s and their interest to cultivate grew after they realised it fetched good income. Cardamom has now become one of their main cash crops.
Today, almost every household in the three chiwogs of Korphu, Nabi and Nimzhong cultivate cardamom. And farmers are happy with good production this year.
“The produce this year has increased. Farmers, who use to harvest nine or ten bags earlier, harvested 40 to 50 bags this time. The reason for more yield is due to favourable weather conditions. We received timely and abundant rainfall,” Pema Gyeltshen, the Korphu Tshogpa, said.
However, the farmers are now worried about the cardamom price in the market. They say prices have been declining over the years. In the past, farmers say they earn about Nu 1,600 for a kilogram of cardamom. Last year, a kilogram of cardamom fetched Nu 400.
“Although the yield is good we have to worry about the price. If we have a small industry that manufactures and produces anything out of cardamoms here, it would benefit people immensely,” Sangay Khandu, the Korphu Gup, said.
Currently, around eighty households in the gewog grow cardamom.
Passang
