The Hindu Business Line : Cardamom plants hit by rains, gale

Kochi June 26 Heavy rains accompanied by gale last weekend have damaged cardamom plants in almost all the estates in Kerala's Idukki district, inflicting heavy losses.

"Plant stems have been broken half way in many estates, while in several plantations plants have been shaken and that will affect flowering and capsule setting," Mr T. Ashok Kumar, President, Kerala Cardamom Growers Union, told Business Line.

In these cases, tillers have to come out afresh and that would take one year to flower. Thus, there would be a yield loss of 20 per cent. Besides, it would involve maintenance cost. The southwest monsoon came late this year and with heavy downpour, the area received 40 cm rainfall. But on Friday and Saturday last, it was accompanied by "typhoon type winds" which had wreaked havoc, he said.

Dry spell

In most of the estates, the plants were in the process of revival after a protracted dry spell last summer. In estates having no irrigation facilities, the plants had dried up completely beyond revival and required replanting.

The drought had already inflicted a heavy loss to cardamom growers, he said, adding that now the gale had aggravated the situation further. Thus, the vagaries of the weather would bring down the production next season, besides delaying the harvesting, which might take place only by late August, he claimed.

The plantations in Kerala's Idukki district, where much of the crop in the country is cultivated, are in bad shape, he said. In fact, the arrival of monsoon showers had affected badly the flowering and pollination, he said.

Due to the dry spell, growers had to delay spraying of the copper sulphate + lime mixture, which is done immediately after the onset of southwest monsoon in the normal course.

The total cost for raising one acre of cardamom plantation would come to around Rs 95,000 excluding the capital investment and interest on the cultivation expenses, Mr Ashok Kumar said.

Due to unfavourable weather conditions, the total output next season in Kerala and Tamil Nadu was likely to fall by 30-40 per cent, he said. The total production during the current season (August - July), which has come to an end, is estimated at around 11,000 tonnes against 12,540 tonnes.

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