The Hindu Business Line : Deficient rains likely to hit cardamom output

Deficient south-west monsoon rains so far this year may affect the next cardamom crop and if the current trend prevails, there might be a crop loss of over 40 per cent.

“We are still waiting for the full-fledged monsoon showers and, in fact, for want of adequate moisture in the soil, fertiliser application could not be done so far”, Mr T. Ashok Kumar, a Cumbum-based major cardamom planter of Idukki district of Kerala, told Business Line on Monday.

Flowering affected

“By this time of the monsoon season, cent per cent flowering normally takes place, but this year, so far 10-20 per cent flowering and capsule-setting have taken place. If the present situation continues, there would be a crop loss of 40 per cent, he claimed.

Fresh produce

This year, Ramzan and Diwali festivals would be held in September and October and given the unfavourable weather conditions, the availability of fresh cardamom is going to be tight, Mr Ashok Kumar said.

Normally, third round of picking takes place in Sep/Oct, which used to be the peak harvesting time of the season with 30 per cent. But, this year, due to the failure of rains, only the second round of picking might take place in Sep/Oct which would be around 20 per cent and that in turn, is likely to tighten the supply, he said.

Probably anticipating such a situation, the buying activities were hectic at the auctions as well as in the open market in Bodinayakannur, pushing up the individual average price to around Rs 740 a kg last week.

The highest individual average price of the season was Rs 743.94 a kg at the ISMPCS, Pulianmala auction on Saturday at Vandanmettu. At the June 19 MAS auction, it stood at Rs 738.95 a kg and on Sunday at KCPMC Kumily auction, it was at Rs 736.23 a kg, market sources said.

Thin arrivals

Arrivals continued to remain thin and the demand outweighed the supply, pushing the market up, they said. At the Sunday auction, 29.7 tonnes of cardamom arrived and the entire quantity was sold out. Maximum price shot up to Rs 834 a kg and minimum Rs 454 a kg. There was no export buying, Mr P.C. Punnoose, General Manager, CPMC, told Business Line.

Total arrivals during the current season as on June 21 stood at 9,965 tonnes as against 5,172 tonnes in the same period last season. Sales were at 9,385 tonnes (4,855 tonnes). Weighted average price went up to Rs 533.06 a kg (Rs 501.06 a kg).

Prices of graded varieties were (in Rs/kg): AGEB 810-820; AGB 740-750; AGS 710-720 and AGS1 665-675. Prices at Bodinayakannur were (n Rs/kg): AGEB 790-805; AGB 720-740; AGS 695-710; 645-660. Bulk was fetching Rs 550-850 a kg.

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