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Imports of cloves into the country more than doubled in five years, following a continuous decline in domestic production of the spice.
In 2010-11, imports were at 7,000 tonnes valued at ₹153.37 crore, against 14,950 tonnes valued at ₹771.13 crore in 2014-15, according to Spices Board sources.
Farmers in Idukki district of Kerala, where it was widely cultivated until about two decades ago, have cut down the trees as the prices turned out to be non-remunerative and shifted to other crops. Besides, it requires more labour for harvesting and that was scarce in the State.
Vagaries of weather were also pointed out as another reason for giving up cloves cultivation, PA Thomas, a former cloves grower in Idukki, told BusinessLine.
During 2013-14, the production from 912 hectares of plantations in Kerala stood at 68 tonnes. Another major area of its cultivation in the country is Kanyakumari district’s Nagarkoil region where from 869 hectares 816 tonnes were produced in 2013-14. Heavy incessant rains during the last North-East monsoon season in Tamil Nadu, have affected the crop and as a result the current crop is less by 30 per cent, S Subramaniam, a grower in Nagarkoil, said.
According to him, the market there is steady at ₹800 a kg. But, buyers are not forthcoming as everybody is busy with closing their annual accounts because of the financial year ending, he said. In Kumily, Kerala, the price is ruling at the same level, market sources said. In the upcountry markets, imported material is sold at prices ranging between ₹500 and ₹650 a kg, depending upon the quality.
India is a net importer of this commodity, with an annual demand ranging between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes, trade sources claimed. Imports are made from Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Comoros, Zanzibar and Indonesia, they added.
The coming Indonesian crop is estimated at around 60,000 tonnes and is expected to hit markets next month, they said. Colombo crop is very low, while the crop in Madagascar, Comoros and Zanzibar are good. Current international prices are in the range of $7,500-9,000 a tonne.
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