Cardamom loses flavour as supplies rise

Small cardamom prices slipped last week on increased arrivals amid slow buying at auctions held in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Buyers slowed down due to disruptions in movement of the goods following agitations in connection with sharing of Cauvery water.

On the other hand, arrivals improved after the first round of picking has started in almost all estates, trade sources in Bodinayakannur told BusinessLine .

About 75 per cent of the cardamom that arrived at the auctions was from the new crop and fetched a good price while the remaining 25 per cent from the previous crop did not get a good price.

As a result, the auction average has dropped by ₹20-30 a kg, PC Punnoose, General Manager, CPMC, told BusinessLine.

Exporters were active last week. They are estimated to have bought around 7 tonnes of exportable grade capsules of cardamom at ₹1,050-1,150 a kg, trade sources said.

At the auction today in Bodi, conducted by the Cardamom Planters’ Association (CPA), Santhanpara, 36 tonnes arrived and 31 tonnes were traded. The maximum price stood at ₹1,200 a kg. The auction average dropped to ₹933.80 a kg from ₹967.37 the previous Monday.

Arrivals at the auctions last week rose to 655 tonnes from 239 tonnes the previous week.

The individual auction average has shot up last week and was vacillating between ₹925 and ₹1,025 a kg.

Total arrivals during the season from August 1 up to September 24 were at 3,506 tonnes and sales were at 3,235 tonnes.

The individual auction average for the season as on September 24 stood at ₹927.71 a kg. Last week’s auction average was at ₹973.88 against ₹1,000.68 a kg the previous week.

Prices in ₹/kg: 8mm bold good colour: 1,280-1,300 ; 7-8 mm: 1,025-60; 6-7 mm: 900 and below 6 mm: 800-830.

Good colour current bulk was being traded at ₹1,000-1,050 a kg.

COMMENT NOW