Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 18
With the intervention of the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) project at Chingmei village under Tuensang district during 2009-2010, cardamom cultivation has been taken up as one of the major plantation crops. During the period 2011-12, 30% of the total household in the village was involved in cardamom cultivation.
In the subsequent years, the programme further encouraged the villagers to go for large scale cardamom cultivation wherein they are also provided with technical field assistance as well as training on cardamom cultivation.
As a result, more than 90% of the total household has been observed to be covered under cardamom cultivation during 2015-16.
Situated in the eastern part of Tuensang district, Chingmei is one of the biggest villages of the Chang tribe with 525 total number of household.
During 2014, the villagers harvested a total of 2446 kgs, and sold at the rate of Rs. 600 per kg, generating an income of Rs. 14,67,600.
In the following year, a total of 4, 677 kgs was harvested and sold at the rate of Rs. 800 per kg, generating an income of Rs. 37,42, 000. They also earned Rs. 8,00,000 and Rs. 18,02, 600 in the year 2015 and 2016 respectively through suckers/seedling supply.
An estimated harvest of 6500 kg to 7000 kg is expected in the current year with an anticipated income of Rs. 6.00 lakhs to Rs. 6.50 lakhs. The villagers have also started supplying suckers and seedlings to the neighbouring villagers.
Ever since the village took up cardamom cultivation, there has been a positive growth in their socio-economic condition, also giving them a better quality of life.
This has also led to a decrease in the traditional way of shifting cultivation as many farmers are engaged in cardamom cultivation.
