November 5: Low production of black cardamom in Assam this year has forced Indian businessmen to set up purchase centers in Nepal to fulfill their demand.

Farmers of Nepal are expecting good price for their produce than last year after the Indian businessmen established purchase centre in Birtamode of Jhapa district.

Chairman of Black Cardamom Producers Association, Raj Kumar Karki, informed that the production of black cardamom in  Assam was low this year compared to last year. Due to this, Indian businessmen have set up purchase centers in Birtamode, said Karki.

The price of black cardamom has already increased with the onset of the new season. Nepali exporters can now sell their products under the trademark of ‘Everest Big Cardamom’. The government had registered the trademark on July 3, 2016 with the objective of selling the product under its own brand name. Pakistan has approved the trademark after four years. However, Nepal needs to send the product to Pakistan through land route via India, which is problematic due to the tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Nepal hasn’t been able to benefit from the trademark because it is costly to send black cardamom to Pakistan through air cargo, says Karki.