The country’s black pepper production during 2014-15 season starting October is likely to be better than the current season due to favourable weather conditions so far. However, Kerala’s Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts, which had a comparatively good crop last season, are unlikely to harvest a better crop.

The crop in other regions, especially the high ranges, Kottayam and other districts will comparatively have a good crop. A near-real assessment could be possible only by October, Joshua Daniel a major pepper grower of Pathanamthitta district told Business Line .

Good yield According to him, only 25 per cent of the growers are following good farm management practices required for pepper cultivation. He is of the view that if the vines are well looked after with timely fertiliser applications/inputs and phyto-sanitation works with the help of skilled labourers, the grower would get good yield.

In an acre a maximum of 600 vines can be planted. The total input cost for a three-year gestation period will be ₹3 lakh per acre. Third year onwards, these vines will start yielding. But, from the fifth year, the yield will peak.

Thus, from the fifth year, the yield per vine would come to 5 kg making it 3 tonnes per acre and 7.50 tonnes a hectare per season, he said. “He has planted six varieties of vines such as Panniyur -1, Karivali, Karimunda, Kottamunda and Velliyaramunda.

Best practices

Daniel said he has 15 acres under the crop and is raising the vines using good farm management practices with no assistance from either the Centre or the State government.

Total output in 2013-14 has been estimated at around 35,000 tonnes, including carry forward stocks, according to the trade. It is against the normal output which has been in the range of 55,000 to 65,000 tonnes until a few years ago.

Karnataka output last season was reportedly below 15,000 tonnes against 25-30,000 tonnes. However, the coming crop is expected to be better, growers said. In Wayanad district of Kerala, pepper cultivation has been declining as vast stretches of pepper estates have been converted into tourist resorts.

Domestic consumption of pepper is projected at around 45,000-48,000 tonnes and since the overall usage of pepper in the daily food items is in small quantity, the price hike has not affected consumption. Added to this is the purchase by industrial units such as masala, extraction, crushing/powdering and Pappad. Change in food habits is also raising consumption by industrial units significantly.

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