Kathmandu, March 22

Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives, Chakra Pani Khanal, has said the government is serious about establishing a cardamom development board or such an entity to holistically address various issues in cardamom sector of the country.

Addressing a discussion programme, which was organised by the World Vision Advocacy Forum in the Capital today, Minister Khanal informed that the government has strongly felt the need to introduce land use policy and a separate cardamom development entity to unleash the country’s  competitive advantages in agriculture produces.

Representatives of farmer groups, entrepreneurs and agro-economists also insisted on the need to form  an autonomous body that could look into the production, processing and promotion of large cardamom in the country.

Speakers at the event also said that the promotion of Nepal’s ‘Everest Big Cardamom’ brand was crucial for value addition in cardamom stating that India has been branding Nepal’s large cardamom as its own in the international market.