LAMJUNG, Jan 28: Lamjung district has generated more than Rs 243 million from the sales of black cardamom in the ongoing fiscal year 2025/26, despite a slight decline in production.
According to Hari Bahadur Mijar, Agriculture Officer at the National Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit, Lamjung, farmers sold 135 metric tonnes of black cardamom produced in the district this year.
The aromatic spice fetched Rs 243 million in total as the price ranged from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,500 per kg, informed officer Mizar.
He mentioned that although the production decreased this year compared to the previous fiscal year, higher market price helped boost overall earnings.
Farmers in Lamjung earn Rs 240 million by selling cardamom
Last fiscal year 2024/25, Lamjung earned over Rs 220 million from the sale of 150 metric tonnes of black cardamom, which was priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,400 per kilogram.
He attributed the favorable prices to decline in black cardamom production in neighbouring India, which increased demand for Nepalis produce.
Often referred as 'Black Gold', black cardamom has become an increasingly lucrative cash crop for farmers in Nepal including Lamjung.
Farmers here earned more than Rs 240 million by selling 251 metric tonnes of black cardamom in the fiscal year 2023/24 when the spice was price around Rs 1,200 per kg.
Likewise, in the preceding year 2022/23, income stood at Rs 200 million from 380 metric tonnes, sold at Rs 550 to Rs 700 per kg.
Similarly, farmers earned Rs 150 million from the sale of 335 metric tonnes of black cardamom in the fiscal year 2021/22. They generated Rs 182 million from selling 3,500 quintals in the fiscal year 2020/21.
The record of fiscal year 2019/20 shows that farmers gained Rs 120 million in income from the sales of 2,000 quintals of black cardamom that year.
Although black cardamom is cultivated over 750 hectares of land in the district, production currently takes place across 375 hectares, according to the National Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit, Lamjung.
The project has declared Marsyangdi Rural Municipality, Besisahar Municipality, Kholasothar Rural Municipality, Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality, and Dordi Rural Municipality as cardamom zone pocket areas.
The area has been declared as a pocket area because it produces the highest amount of cardamom in the district.
