With demand matching supply, cardamom prices ruled steady at the auctions last week.

Arrivals continued to increase as the second round of picking is in full swing in all estates.

Quality cardamom has started arriving, market sources in Bodinayakkanur said.

They told Business Line that there has been a one-month delay this season because of erratic monsoon rains. According to them, a 10 per cent drop is likely in the total crop this season that began in August.

Demand for Diwali is yet to pick.

However, market sources in Kumily attributed the current stability to export buying coupled with upcountry demand. Exportable variety capsules are arriving in good volume and that is being picked up by exporters. They bought an estimated 150 tonnes of cardamom last week. Similarly, upcountry buyers are also covering actively.

The individual auction average slipped last week to vacillate between ₹730 and ₹780 a kg. Supply of 8mm bold continued to remain thin and good colour bold capsules were fetching ₹1,050.

At the Kerala Cardamom Processing and Marketing Company’s auction on Sunday, 90.5 tonnes of cardamom arrived and almost the entire quantity was sold out. The maximum price was ₹1,018 and the minimum ₹584. Auction average was ₹762.73.

Total arrivals during the season are 2,949 tonnes against 3,912.5 tonnes during the same period a year ago. Sales in the current season are 2,885 tonnes against 3,730 tonnes in year-ago period.

The individual auction average as on September 28 this year was ₹755 against ₹615 in the year-ago period.

Prices of graded varieties (₹/kg): 8mm bold 1,050-60; 7mm-8mm 850; 6mm-7mm 740; below 6.5mm 670.

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