Birtamod: Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki assured to provide support to promote the production and business of black cardamom. Addressing the 5th general convention of the Federation of cardamom entrepreneurs at Birtamod, Jhapa today, CM Karki pledged policy intervention to provide adequate resources thereby bolstering production and export of black cardamom.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Karki shared that the provincial government’s ‘Udaya’ project is being implemented in collaboration with the Swiss government to promote small and medium-scale enterprises as well as to foster entrepreneurship. “The provincial government will invest from Rs 3 million to Rs 30 million in small and medium-scale enterprises,” the CM mentioned.
He expressed the view that the Koshi Province could accelerate its journey towards prosperity by increasing production and market in sectors such as black cardamom, tea, bamboo, and dairy products.
Likewise, Federation’s President Nirmala Bhattarai shared that cardamom worth Rs 1 billion to Rs 10 billion was being exported from the country annually. Bhattarai urged the government to establish a ‘black cardamom super zone’ by incorporating Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabha districts where this spice is grown abundantly.
Representatives, mostly producers and traders of black cardamom from 16 districts, are participating in the convention. On the occasion, awards were presented to the best black cardamom producers and exporters and staff involved in this sector.