The Role of Large Cardamom Farming for Rural Economic Development (A Case Study of Surumkhim V.D.C. Taplejung District, Nepal)

Abstract

The study entitled “Role of Large Cardamom Farming for Rural Economic Development (A Case Study of Surukhim V.D.C Taplejung, District).Presents the study of local income of farmers in Surukhim V.D.C. Cardamom is most important cash crop for local income of cultivations. Surumkhim is a Himalayan V.D.C. of Taplejung District in the Mechi zone of north-eastern Nepal. The VDC comprised of 9 wards. Out of them 3, 4, 5 and 6 wards have taken for research, there is 339 household in study area among these 60 households are taken as sample to collect the required information. The main objective of this research is to study and analyze on the role of large Cardamom farming for rural economic development of Surumkhim V.D.C. are i. To study the role of Large cardamom farming for rural economic development in the study area. ii. The study the status of large cardamom production in the study area. iii. To identify the problem associated with production of large cardamom in study area. The research is based on descriptive as well as exploratory. Descriptive design is used together information exploratory research. It is use for collecting information with respondents view and ideas. Similarly, it is based on both primary and secondary data with are collected from field survey. Secondary data collect from V.D.C. District Agriculture office, Chamber of commerce and industry, published books, unpublished reports, official document and various reports. In the field survey, we find that the sample farmers owned different types of land out of total land of 636 ropani lowland is 325 ropani, upland is 215 ropani, Pasture land is 60 ropani and wet land is 36 ropani. Large cardamom is planted in 398 ropani of land in 2070 B.S. which is 46.85 percent of total land. It is about 5.25 percent more area than the previous year. In the study area 80% of farmers are involved in large cardamom farming. The sample farmers in years 2069 was 5.72 ropani and the average production was 172.68kg, similarly the average area in the year 2070 6.13 ropani and average production is 182.87 kg per household. The field survey find that the average cash income receive by sample farmers only from large Cardamom was Rs. 38864.85 in year 2069 which increased to Rs 64854.73 in 2070. The average increasing over the years in a sizable manner for small and medium farmers. In this study, we find that cardamom is main annual income of farmers in the annual income of farmers are involved in cardamom farming. It is one of the major exportable cash crop which has played a vital role for economic growth and prosperity of farmers in the study area. But they have lack of financial institution, lack of basic facilities such as collection centers, storage, transportation etc. Lack of conductive policy, lack of appropriate combating against pests and fungi, lack the proper knowledge of grading and packaging, Marketing problem etc. Most of the farmers are used traditional system for farming. In this study, we find that dependency of the export trade to India only and the regular fluctuation of market price in international market is a problem of large cardamom. It has not received due attention from organized sector for its research and development. The literature available is scarcity. Nepal is an agricultural country. Nepaleses economy is depend on the agriculture. Large cardamom is main source of income of country. So in suitable places should be promoted by the government. Government organizations should emphasize on the research and development of large cardamom, research and investigation should be made to control pests and diseases in large cardamom. Training on quality maintenance, Storage grading packaging should be provide by government and financial assistance should be made available to the local level.