Cardamom has been the main cash crop for farmers of Dunglagang Gewog’s Dingrigang_Lhamoi-Lungm chiwog in Tsirang for years. However, the cardamom plants have been dying in recent years. This has worried the cardamom growers. They say inadequate rainfall during the dry season is causing the cardamom plants to wither.
It is at this time of the year cardamom plants start flowering. The cardamom growers say the plants need sufficient rainfall to have a bountiful harvest later.
However, during the flowering season that falls in March and April, the village receives less or no rainfall at all. Moreover, there is no irrigation water supply. The cardamom plants are turning yellow and are gradually dying.
Since last year, farmers say the plant started dying on a large scale, putting a strain on their income.
Kencho Wangmo, a cardamom grower says, “We don’t have other cash crops. Cardamom plants are growing well in places that have water. Since we don’t have water, ours is dying.”
“Cardamom plants are dying and the yield has also gone down over the years. We have been relying on cardamom for our livelihoods till now. Now we are worried,” adds Tshechila, another cardamom grower.
“I have grown cardamom in little less than two acres. Most of the plants have died. From the plants that survived, I collected around fifty kilograms last year. If we don’t have rainfall this year, I don’t think I will be able to collect a few kilograms. The plants that started flowering also die when there is no rainfall and it affects production,” says Karchung, who also grows cardamom.
A few households have started uprooting the affected cardamom plants and are preparing to grow other crops from this year.
Karchung says, “I have burnt down cardamom plants and I’m now clearing the field to grow maize. The government has also urged us to do multi-cropping so I am planning to grow maize and groundnut this year.”
Some of the growers say that having an irrigation water supply will help protect the cash crop from dying.
Changkar, a cardamom grower says, “Most of my cardamom plants have died without water. I don’t have anything to harvest this year. If we get a water supply, it would be helpful. Plants won’t die and will be able to harvest the yield.”
“If we could irrigate cardamom plants, it would keep our plants lush and help bloom flowers which is crucial for fruiting. But it is a problem without a water supply. Water sources are very far from here. We cannot draw water supply individually but some of our abled neighbours have privately connected their cardamom fields with water,” says Tshewang Pelzom, a cardamom grower.
The Dunglagang Gewog Administration says they are exploring the possibilities of providing the cardamom growers with irrigation water. The office is looking for reliable water sources that can cater to a huge number of cardamom growers.
Doonglagang Mangmi, D.B. Monger says, “We have plans to bring a water supply for cardamom growers in the chiwog. But as of today, we couldn’t find a reliable water source. The gewog administration has plans to meet with farmers and figure out a way forward to see how can we draw irrigation water for the chiwog in the next fiscal year.”
Just like the cardamom growers in Dunglagang, some cardamom growers in other gewog are dreaded by the dying cardamom plants.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Sangay Chezom
