Good arrivals and increased buying have lifted pepper prices by ₹2 per kg in Kochi on Tuesday, realising an average price of ₹311 for ungarbled varieties.

The offtake was 30 tonnes and there were more buyers than sellers in the market. MG1 garbled varieties realised ₹331, while new pepper was quoted at ₹301.

However, traders have raised an apprehension to sustain the improvement in arrivals in the coming days following the orders issued to dealers who are dealing in spices alone in Idukki to down their shutters. Instead, dealers who are dealing in pulses and grains are allowed to open. This would be a handicap for farmers who are dealing in hill produces in Kerala, traders said.

Because of the emerging situation, pepper arrivals to the primary markets in Wayanad have not reached at the anticipated levels, Kishore Shamji of Kishor Spices said and requested the government to address these issues for the benefit of pepper farmers.

He pointed out that there was a good buying especially in Gudalur primary market from Tamil Nadu-based dealers, who divert their supplies from Kerala and Karnataka. Since the APMC market tax was applicable in Karnataka, these dealers prefer to move the spices to Tamil Nadu through Kerala.

Subdued demand

Moreover, there was a subdued demand in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and it is slowing down in Maharashtra. Most of the dealers are keeping their pepper and all other spices in cold storage because of the closing down on the APMC market in Mumbai. This would impact dealer buying from these regions. Those end-users (masala manufacturers), who are allowed to open their grinding factories, are showing keen interest to bring not only pepper but also other spices such as ginger, maize, nutmeg, turmeric from Kerala, he said.

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