Submit your Article

Tilak Bahadur Rana Magar of Udayapur, who spent 30 years carrying heavy loads for a living, is now busy cultivating cardamom. Poverty forced him into labor work from the age of 15, but with the expansion of road networks and the arrival of tractors and mules in villages, his profession became obsolete. As traditional load-carrying work disappeared, Tilak Bahadur transitioned to cardamom farming.

He began by converting around 15 ropanis of land—once overgrown with wild plants like banmara and titepati, where not even maize or millet could grow—into a cardamom farm. With no other source of income, he turned to this crop after learning about it from television programs and friends. Today, Magar is a leading cardamom farmer in his area, and his economic transformation stands as a testament to the power of hard work and persistence. He proudly says that he no longer needs to go abroad to fund his children’s education.

Magar is just one example. Across eastern Nepal, many farmers are now cultivating cardamom as their main crop, turning it into a reliable source of income. What began as a means to cover household expenses has evolved into large-scale commercial farming for many.

The Cardamom Development Center, located in Pandam, Suryodaya Municipality-9 of Ilam district, has played a key role in this transformation. Established on 31 Oct 1976, on 345 ropanis of land, the center began the Cardamom Research and Development Program. In 1982, the districts of Ilam, Panchthar, and Terhathum were officially declared Cardamom Development Zones, and both government and private sectors began promoting its cultivation at scale.

Cardamom has become a major export commodity. It is estimated that cardamom accounts for 17 to 25 percent of Nepal’s agricultural export income. Nepal reportedly contributes more than 50 percent to the global large cardamom market. India is the primary export destination, but Nepal also exports cardamom to countries like Singapore, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE. In fact, 98 percent of Nepal’s cardamom is exported, with only two percent consumed domestically. Government figures estimate that annual cardamom exports are worth Rs 4bn to Rs 5bn.

This high export value has significantly benefited Nepal’s agricultural sector, helping to reduce the trade deficit and strengthen the national economy. While the eastern region remains the heart of production, cardamom farming is gradually spreading to western districts as well. Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, and Sankhuwasabha in Koshi Province are recognized as key production hubs.

The growing demand has led to a steady rise in the area under cardamom cultivation. Initially confined to a few eastern districts, the crop is now grown in around 42 districts, involving some 67,000 farming households. For many, cardamom is the main source of cash income, improving livelihoods through better employment, education, and healthcare.

One hectare of cardamom farmland can yield between 300 and 600 kilograms of dried pods annually, with market prices ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 per kilogram—making it a highly profitable crop even for smallholders.

Cardamom is Nepal’s top agricultural export and a significant contributor to foreign exchange earnings. The value chain—from cultivation to processing, packaging, and export—has created jobs at various levels. Local laborers involved in harvesting and drying can earn over Rs 30,000 per month in wages.

As a high-value cash crop, cardamom has become a beacon of hope for farmers in Nepal’s mid-hills and eastern regions. What once began as a subsistence activity has now matured into a fully commercial enterprise, offering not just economic opportunities but also contributing to rural development and national revenue.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 400 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 190, 800 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 193, 200 per tola on Thursday.

The price of silver, however, has increased by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1,960 per tola today.

The local residents in Kanchanpur district have hoped for more job opportunities after the completion of the dry port in Dodhara Chandani, Kanchanpur. 

The people here are hopeful of the opening of industries thus creating several jobs. 

With the jobs available in the local market, their obligation to go to the Indian cities seeking employment opportunities will end. 

Many youths from this area in the district often travel to different Indian cities for work.   

Currently, the work of tree felling has gained momentum for the construction of the dry port. The tree felling task has been taking place for the past 10 days. A total of 1,593 trees have to be cut for the port's construction.  

Likewise, a four-lane motorable bridge over the Mahakali river and a six-lane road from Gaddachauki to the dry port have already been completed. 

Ram Khadka (60) of Dodhara Chandani Municipality-1 expressed the locals' hope for jobs opportunities after the construction of the dry port there adding that the new bridge over the Mahakali river and the six-lane road have brought significant changes to the area, leading to optimism about positive changes from the dry port development. 

Likewise, central committee member of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jung Bahadur Malla stated that business from the dry port here could boost economic activities in the districts of Sudurpaschim Province adding that the facility would ensure better access to trade and business access to the Indian capital city New Delhi and other industrial areas of India.

 Malla said that there will be immense job creation, better connectivity, infrastructure and industries for trade and business with the operation of the dry port.   

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Nepal and the Government of India on June 1, 2023 for the construction of the dry port with financial and technical support from India.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 12. 60 points to close at 2,661. 08 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 60 points to close at 448. 63 points.

A total of 30,799,091-unit shares of 315 companies were traded for Rs 11. 65 billion.

Meanwhile, Nepal Micro Insurance Company Limited (NMIC) and Crest Micro Life Insurance Limited (CREST) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Narayani Development Bank Limited (NABBC) was the top loser with its price dropped by 7. 06 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 42 trillion.