They didn’t spend a penny to transport their spice but the price was much better this time compared to last year. Cardamom growers of Khorphu Gewog in Trongsa are all smiles. They sold their cardamom by about Nu 200 more, from their doorsteps.
Usually, cardamom growers of Korphu take their spice to Gelephu. But this year, they sold off their brown gold straight from home. Besides farm shops and the Gelephu FCB, buyers were mostly from the nearby dzongkhags.
According to a farmer at Nabji, Dorji Wangchuk, travelling to Gelephu would incur additional expenses for transportation and logistics. He said that selling from the doorstep is more convenient.
“This year, we could also sell our spice right after the harvest,” he added.
“Last year, it fetched between Nu 300 to 400 per kilogram but this year we are getting almost between Nu 600 to 650 per kilogram,” said Pema Gyeltshen, another farmer.
Moreover, travelling to Gelephu would also require farmers to stay in quarantine for a week. Therefore, they said they prefer selling the products at home.
Today, most farmers of Korphu grow cardamom as their main cash crop. And people have been reaping bountiful harvests for a couple of years now.
This year, farmers earned a minimum of Nu 30,000 and a maximum of Nu. 800,000 And they said the crop has helped them become self-sufficient.
Cardamom farming in Korphu dates back to the 1990s. Today, almost all the farmers in the gewog grow the spice.
Passang, Trongsa
Edited by Chayku
