Jhapa. The price of cardamom has reached the highest level this year. According to Deepak Nepal, president of the Federation of Cardamom Entrepreneurs of Nepal, 40 kg of cardamom is being purchased from farmers at the maximum price of Rs 100,000 per kilogram.

Traders have been purchasing cardamom of two quality – ‘Chalu’ and ‘JJ’ from farmers. The price of cardamom has been set at Rs 100,000 per kg today while the current price of cardamom is Rs 97,000 per maund.

The price of cardamom had reached the highest point on Tuesday this year. According to him, JJ cardamom was traded at Rs 1.02 lakh per kg on Tuesday. Today, the price of petrol has decreased by Rs 2,000 per person compared to yesterday.

“The price of cardamom was continuously climbing, but today it has dropped by two thousand rupees,” he said, adding, “Now the farmers have brought cardamom to the market. ’

Cardamom is known as the ‘gold of the streams’ because of its high market price. Farmers in the eastern hills have been directly benefited by the increase in prices. Cardamom is cultivated in 42 districts of Nepal but it is mostly grown in Panchthar, Taplejung, Ilam, Sankhuwasabha, Khotang, Bhojpur and Tehrathum districts of Koshi Province.

Only 90 percent of cardamom produced in Nepal is exported. Cardamom that reached India from Nepal is exported to the world market through branding. Nepali cardamom has not been able to get direct access to the world market.

Cardamom is cultivated in over 7,500 hectares of land in the state. In the fiscal year 2081÷82, cardamom worth Rs 7.67 billion was exported to India through Kakarbhitta, according to the Mechi Customs Office.

According to the Mechi Customs Office, the export of cardamom has increased by 33 percent in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. A total of 1,072 metric tonnes of cardamom worth Rs 1.67 billion was exported to India through Kakarbhitta border point in July, August and September, said Information Officer at the Office Ishwor Kumar Humagain.