KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative (MoAC) will start a three-year-plan to solve problems in cardamom cultivation and boost production. MoAC will move to increase production through research and development, training and awareness campaigns, said Dr Braja KP Shah, secretary, here today.

Cardamom yield has decreased in recent years due to fungus and viral infections in plants. According to Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) cardamom fields in major production districts — Ilam, Panchthar, Taplejung and Sankhuwashabha — are affected by fungus (Rhizonrot and Wilt) and virus (Chhirke and Phurke).

These diseases are affecting 70 per cent of the fields in Ilam, 35 per cent in Panchthar and 25 per cent in Panchthar. “Without awareness campaign, abolition of cardamom diseases is not possible,” said Keshav Ghimire, NARC scientist. He suggested four measures — sanitation of tools, disposal of fungus/virus affected plants, adaptation of tissue culture technology and strict quarantine regulation.

Participants in the interaction jointly organized by Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) urged MoAC to establish a cardamom research centre (CRC) in Ilam. They also urged the government to facilitate cardamom growing farmers by giving incentives.

“Without incentives, farmers can’t keep the three-year interval between old and new plantations,” said Suvash Rai, a farmer from Ilam. Keeping interval of three to five years between old and new crops is a natural therapy to reduce infections in cardamom.

Fungus and viral infections had wiped out Bhutan from the global map of cardamom production in 1990s. India is also facing same problems in cardamom growing areas of Sikkim and Darjeeling. Now it is spending $4.7 million on research and development of new infection proof varieties.

Nepal is the world’s largest cardamom producing country with average production of $22 million) annually with 90 per cent export. Some 70,000 families in 38 districts are into cardamom cultivation.