Cardamom prices ruled steady last week as demand matched with supply, which declined at auctions.

As arrivals continued to remain thin, auctioneers have decided to suspend the auction from June 30 to July 11 citing “uneconomical arrivals”, market sources told Business Line.

Of the arrivals, 15 per cent of the material was from the new crop, they said. Exporters were inactive as export quality capsules were not available, they said.

According to growers, weather conditions have not improved as expected in major growing tracts such as Kumily, Kattappana and Vandanmettu as the usual South-West monsoon has not set in so far.

Upcountry buyers are covering whatever material arrived at the auctions, they said.

The faulty monsoon rains have created apprehensions about a possible delay in the new crop, trade in Bodinayakannur said. They said, at the same time, that given the uncertain weather conditions prevailing, at present, the crop might also be lower.

At the KCPMC auction, arrivals were at 43.5 tonnes against 43.3 tonnes the previous Sunday and the entire quantity was sold, PC Punnoose, General Manager, CPMC, Kumily, said.

The maximum price was ₹1,004 a kg and the minimum was ₹489 a kg. Auction average slipped to ₹746.82 ( ₹752.97) a kg the previous Sunday, he said.

During the current season of the crop, arrivals stood at 20,837 tonnes against 14,762 tonnes as on June 22 during the last season.

Sales were 20,199 tonnes and 14,137 tonnes respectively. The weighted average price as on June 22 was ₹643.20 ( ₹703.28) a kg.

Prices of graded varieties (₹/kg): AGEB 920-930; AGB 720-730; AGS 690-700 and AGS -1: 670-680.

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