This season is turning out to be quite a disappointment for the areca nut farmers in the foothills of the country. Major areca nut growing districts in the south are reporting a drop in price for the areca palm tree fruit leaving the growers disheartened. This time, it is the areca nut farmers and exporters in Samtse who are disappointed by the low price. Farmers in Samtse, like others in the southern region, grow areca nut as a key cash crop.
In Samtse, the price of areca nut dropped by almost 50 per cent compared to the previous season. Areca nut farmers in the district say the highest they fetch this season is Nu 40 per kilogram.
Last year, they could fetch around Nu 70 per kilogram.
“If the price of Doma had been good this year, it could have benefited us. Now, we no longer have the option to sell Doma directly to India as we did before, which used to fetch us good prices. However, the current situation is disappointing in terms of price,” said Omkar Sharma, a farmer from Norbugang Gewog.
“Last year, I managed to earn about Nu 400,000 to 500,000 from selling Doma. However, this year, I anticipate only about Nu 200,000 to 300,000. The drop in the price of areca nut has affected my income,” said Dorji Gyeltshen, a doma exporter from Ugyentse Gewog.
In addition to the price drop, areca nut farmers are concerned by the reduced production and the drying of areca palm trees.
“The price of Doma has plummeted by 50 per cent compared to last year. Adding to our concerns, our Doma trees are drying up yielding significantly fewer fruits. We are deeply troubled by this situation as we lack the expertise to find out the underlying cause,” said Mani Kumar Thapa, a doma grower from Ugyentse Gewog.
Areca nut growers and exporters suggest that the decline in the price this time could be the involvement of numerous parties in the export process and the complicated and lengthy paperwork involved in exporting it.
Additionally, they point out that the bountiful harvest of betel nut in India this season could be another factor contributing to the price drop.
The areca nut season begins in early March and continues until the end of July. According to data from the Food Corporation’s auction yard in Samtse, this season, over 100 metric tonnes of doma have been exported to India so far.
Samtse, with 15 gewogs, is a major areca nut growing district with approximately 12 gewogs actively engaged in areca nut production.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
Edited by Phub Gyem
