The Hindu Business Line : Upsurge continues in cardamom

Maximum price at the e-auction held on Sunday by the Kerala Cardamom Processing and Marketing Cooperative (KCPMC) at Vandamettu increased to Rs 774 a kg and the minimum Rs 152 a kg.

Good colour 8 mm bold capsules were fetching Rs 750-800 a kg while 7.5-8 mm Rs 700-725 a kg and current bulk was being sold at Rs 650-675 a kg. The average price was Rs 643 a kg. Total arrival at this auction stood at 25.8 kg.

According to Mr P.C. Punnoose, General Manager, KCPMC, the arrivals in recent weeks were just half of what was coming during this period last year.

TN sale

At the CPA auction in Bodinayakannur on Monday, the arrivals were only seven tonnes of cardamom. The prices were said to be steady at higher levels. Arrivals at the ISPCS auction on January 19 stood at 8.5 tonnes and almost the entire quantity was sold out. The average price was Rs 638.78 a kg.

The active participation of the buyers at the auctions indicates that the investors are ready to buy and stock anticipating further increase in the prices, he told Business Line. Total arrival during the current season stood at 3,258 tonnes as on Januray 19 as against 4,835 tonnes during the same period last year registering a fall of 1,577 tonnes. Correspondingly the sales also dropped by 1,393 tonnes to 3,048 tonnes from 4,441 tonnes.

The average price as January 19 stood at 465.12 a kg as against Rs 295.03 a kg last season.

Prices range

Prices of the graded varieties were AGEB Rs 745-755, AGB Rs 685-695, AGS Rs 665-675 and AGS 1 Rs 635-645. Local market prices in Bodinayakannur were AGEB Rs 730-740, AGB Rs 670-680, AGS Rs 650-660 and AGS 1 Rs 625-640 a kg. Current bulk was fetching Rs 625-725 a kg.