Production and marketing of turmeric (Curcuma longa) in Sunsari District, Nepal

Abstract

Turmeric is a popular spice in Nepalese households and a potential cash crop in the country's tropical areas; yet, due to limited study on production technologies and marketing channels, Nepalese farmers have struggled to earn a reasonable return from its production. For this study, 100 turmeric producers were selected by using simple random sampling technique from total turmeric growing population registered in PMAMP at Barahakshetra Municipality of the district. The research was carried out during January to May. Primary data were collected through field, survey, FGD, and KII while a literature review was carried out as the source of secondary data. Information collected from the field survey were coded, tabulated, and analyzed by using the statistical software of MS Excel 2010 and SPSS V26.0. It was found that majority of the respondent farmers had agriculture as their primary occupation. The average household turmeric area was 0.43 ha. The labor cost contributed 45.46% for the of cultivation with an average cost of cultivation pf NRs.110.63 per kg for dried turmeric. Moreover, the gross return of Rs.270057 per hectare and the BCR 1.35, indicate that turmeric farming is profitable. The average productivity of dry turmeric in the study area was 1800 kg per hectare. Insufficient technical services and low market price of the turmeric were main production and marketing problem faced by turmeric producing community This study suggests the adoption of innovative technology for farming, government intervention in price fixing and replacement of local seed by improved seed.