Pepper production in 2019 calendar year is expected to hover around 45-50,000 tonnes as the floods in Kerala and Karnataka have impacted the crop, posting an overall damage of 40 per cent. The production in 2017 was 64,000 tonnes.

A more accurate figure could be arrived at only after 2-3 weeks as the agencies concerned are carrying out an extensive survey of non-traditional and upcoming pepper producing States, where extensive cultivation is being carried out.

The task force meeting on pepper held at the Spices Board also noted that the present hot climatic conditions is likely to cause further damage to the crop with pepper vine leaves getting yellowish damaging the vine itself and falling off immature spikes.

Considering the shortfall in production, the meet felt the need of pruning 2018’s production target of 70,000 tonnes. However, it suggested a close study on the production in the non-traditional areas such as Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Assam so as to arrive at a more authentic production figures.

Kishore Shamji, President, Indian Pepper Traders and Planters Consortium, who attended the meeting told BusinessLine that pepper cultivation in Wayanad was the worst hit, registering a greater damage of nearly 90 per cent compared to 25-40 per cent of Idukki. Besides Kerala, several districts such as Kodagu, Sakhleshpur, Hassan, Chikmagaluru in Karnataka also suffered more than 40 per cent loss vis-a-vis last year production.

Meanwhile, the Black Gold League, which conducted a survey in Karnataka and Kerala, has estimated the black pepper output at 35,000 tonnes, of which 20,000 tonnes would be from Karnataka, 10,000 tonnes in Kerala and 5,000 tonnes in other growing States.

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