After 2019, the price of green cardamom is soaring to a new high. The highest average price of ₹2,254 per kg was quoted at the Spices Board of India auction centre at Puttady in Idukki on Tuesday. Cardamom production is expected to drop this year due to climate change and vagaries of the monsoon.
At the evening auction held by the Cardamom Planters Marketing Cooperative Society Limited, the maximum price quoted was ₹2,951 per kg. A total of 72,737 kg arrived for auction and as much as 70,951 kg were sold. In the morning auction held by the Cardamom Planters’ Association, the maximum price quoted was ₹2,890 per kg and the average price quoted was ₹2,078 per kg. A total of 26,717 kg was brought in for the auction, out of which, 23,325 kg were sold.
The highest-ever price of cardamom was recorded on August 3, 2019 at ₹7,000 a kg at an auction held at Puttady. From 2020 onwards, the cardamom market showed a reverse trend. The price had even plummeted below ₹1,000 per kg.
Cardamom Growers’ Association president Antony Mathew said the lack of sufficient rainfall has affected cardamom production, resulting in the sudden rise in its price. “Without proper rainfall during monsoon, new beans do not grow. This year, we expect only less than 30% of the production when compared to the previous year,” he said.
Anjo Jose, executive director of Mass Enterprises Limited, said that at the beginning of the crop season, the price of cardamom in the market, however, showed a positive trend. “The entire season of cardamom cultivation depends on the monsoon rain. Normally, the main crop arrives in the market in the last week of August and September. The actual production dip will be known only after the arrival of the main crop,” said Mr. Jose.
Thomas Mathai, a farmer from Kattappana, said that the increase in price provides hope for the farmers. “For the past four years, cardamom farmers have been finding it difficult to manage the plantations. For proper management, farmers should receive about ₹2,000 per kg due to the increase in the costs of pesticides, fertilizers, and labour charges,” he said.
Climatologist Gopakumar Cholayil said that crops such as cardamom and pepper are showing huge production loss due to the absence of proper rain. “Crops, including cardamom, pepper and paddy, are largely dependent on the monsoon rain,” said Mr. Cholayil, adding that changes in rainfall pattern indicate climate change.
