Bhim Prasad Baral, a farmer from Lingkhim, said traders are offering them as much as Rs 35,000 for 40 kg of fresh produce. [break]
“This shows how we were being cheated in previous years,” Baral, who is the third largest black cardamom producer in the district, told Republica.
Farmers are happy that they are finally getting the right price for their product. “Last year we were offered only Rs 45,000 for 40 kg, when market price was well above Rs 69,000 for the same quantity,” Bidur Bhattarai, a farmer of Tellok, said. “This year we are getting the price that we had expected.”
Roshan Agrawal, a trader, argued that farmers are getting good price this year as they are refusing to sell their produce in anticipation of price hike in the coming days.
“Last year, price of black cardamom touched as high as Rs 70,000 for 40 kg. Farmers expect the prices to reach similar level this time around too. That is why they are refusing to sell unless they get good price,” he added.
Dinesh Adhikari, vice president of Taplejung Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said farmers are finally getting the price of their hard work.
“As the farmers are getting good price this year, I think we won´t receive complaints about farmers not getting right price for their produce,” he added.
According to District Agriculture Development Office, the district produced 2,100 tons of black cardamom this year. Market price of black cardamom has already reached Rs 52,000, according to the traders.
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