Cardamom farming, which remains a reliable source of income for the people of Sankranti, Khamlalung, Ishibu, Samdu and Iwa Khola VDCs, is getting off ground in other neighbouring VDCs of Terhathum district.

The farmers engaged in taking up other crops are also said to have been attracted towards cardamom farming owing to the attractive returns in lieu of minimum capital as well as manpower it requires.

'I have been able to see a turnout of Rs. 16,000 last year from cardamom, cultivated three years ago on about 4 ropanis of land which used to hardly yield 3 muries of paddy,” says Ait Bahadur Limbu, a resident of Ablung VDC.

“I had have to borrow money from others in order to supply food, but these days I’m saving Rs 5000 annually,” shares Limbu, who is now supporting his 6-member family. According to him, he is planning to cultivate cardamom on all of his land.

Terhathum district agriculture development office has been providing technical assistance and counselling to the cardamom farmers after declaring Solma, Ambung, Pothak and Oyakjung VDcs as a pocket area for cardamom farming in the district.

Last year, cardamom which requires damp fields for its farming was cultivated on about 572 hectares of land and its yields totalled 260 metric tonnes.