Cardamom was steady to firm last week on limited trade as the the financial year ended. Arrivals fell sharply at auctions in Kerala and Tamil Nadu as the harvest came to a close. High prices have discouraged exporters from buying, trade sources said. According to sources in Bodinayakannur, export buying is likely to pick up after Easter holidays as some enquiries are pending.

This week, auctions will be held from Monday to Wednesday only because of the holidays. All the growing areas in Idukki, except two major cardamom belts in Kumily and Vandanmettu, received good rains last week.

The next crop is expected to arrive by late July, said Mr P.C. Punnoose, General Manager, Cardamom Processing & Marketing Co-Operative. He said on Sunday 63 tonnes were auctioned as against 80.6 tonnes the previous Sunday at The Kerala Cardamom Processing and Marketing Company Ltd sale. The maximum and minimum prices were Rs 1,336.50 and Rs 581 a kg respectively. The auction average was Rs 885 as against Rs 884.32 a kg at the previous auction, he said.

The individual auction average price vacillated between Rs 880 and Rs 935 a kg last week, he said.

Arrivals during August 1 last year and April 1 were 15,623 tonnes (8,374 tonnes in the year-ago period) and sales 15,156 tonnes (8,161 tonnes).

Weighted average price as on April 1 was around Rs 605 a kg as against Rs 1,102 a kg on the same date last year, according to official sources.

Prices of graded varieties were unchanged. Prices of graded varieties in Kumily in Rs a kg: AGEB 1,190-1,200; AGB 950-960; AGS 940-950 and AGS-1: 920-930.

Open market prices of graded varieties in Bodinayakannur in Rs a kg: AGEB 1,050-1,100; AGB 900-925; AGS 880-890; and AGS-1 800-850, trade sources said. Negligible quantity of 8 mm bold was available and it was fetching Rs 1,250-Rs 1,350 a kg while good bulk was being sold at Rs 850-900 a kg, they added.

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