The Hindu Business Line : Cardamom crop hopes improve on good rains

GOOD monsoon rains in the cardamom growing regions in Kerala in the recent weeks have improved the prospects of a better crop next season from the regions, which have not been affected by the drought.

Idukki district has about 70 per cent of the area under small cardamom in the country.

Plants in an estimated 25 per cent of the total area in the major cardamom-growing belt in this district and in some parts of Wayanad were destroyed during this summer. Replanting has been done and it would take not less than two years to yield.

However, if the current weather conditions prevailed and the normal northeast monsoon followed on time, the production of cardamom from the old plantations could be better, plantation sources said.

At present, 72,451 hectares are under the crop, which was 1.05,000 ha in 1987.

"In spite of area reduction, production has enhanced from 3,170 tonne to 11,365 tonne in recent years, largely due to innovations of the farmers adequately supported by the Indian Cardamom Research Institute at Myladumparai in the district," said Dr J. Thomas, Director of the Institute.

The average productivity in a well-managed plantation has gone up to 2,500 kg per ha, he told Business Line.

However, there has been marginal drop in the production during the current year due to severe dry spell in the growing areas in the State.

As the season has ended majority of the auctioneers have stopped auctions.

Trading is now taking place only in bulk, which was sold at the last auction at Bodi at Rs 350 per kg to Rs 360 per kg.

Graded varieties are totally absent these days, trading sources pointed out.

According to them, major growers, who have the facilities to stock, are holding an estimated stock of 500 tonne for releasing in the beginning of the next harvesting season, expected after mid-August, they said.

The prices of the graded varieties on July 10 were AGEB Rs 450 - Rs 460; AGB Rs 330 - Rs 340; AGS Rs 300 - Rs 310; and AGS-1 Rs 280 - Rs 290 a kg.