Pepper production is likely to be higher during the 2014-15 season following the prospects of a bumper crop in Karnataka.
The Karnataka crop, according to farmers’ estimates, will be some 70 per cent more than the normal crop of 25,000-30,000 tonnes.
“I harvested 10 tonnes of pepper last season while this year, I expect it to be 16-17 tonnes. A similar scenario exists in most plantations in the State,” Sunil Kumar, a pepper grower from Sakleshpur, told
Many have brought more areas under the crop in recent years, he said, in view of record prices during 2013-14.
However, the current assessment cannot be taken for granted, he said, adding that: “When there is a bumper crop, diseases would also be wide-spread.”
Karnataka’s production alone could be between 50,000 and 55,000 tonnes, according to the current estimates. Others in the State have put it at 70,000-80,000 tonnes. Harvesting begins in end-February or early-March.
The area under pepper in Karnataka has more than doubled since 2011-12 when the 16,000 tonnes of the spice was produced on 21,061 hectares. The gestation period is three-five years and yielding normally peaks from the fifth year onwards. Hence, estimates appear to be exaggerated, said official sources.
In Kerala, production during 2011-12 was 16,500 tonnes from an area of 1,72,182 hectares. Though a vast area is reported to be under pepper cultivation, the number of vines may be few.
“For instance, we have pepper in one hectare of land in Kumily. It used to take two weeks to harvest the entire pepper crop until some 10 years ago. But, now it takes just two days as much of the vines have been destroyed by quick-wilt, said Punnoose, a grower.
The number of vines has declined continuously due to diseases, mainly the quick-wilt, said PA Thomas, a grower in Upputhara, Idukki. “If a vine is infested by quick-wilt, in two-three days all the vines in the area will be affected and destroyed”.
Scarcity of labour, diseases and price instability have forced many to shift to cardamom in several areas in the district, he said.
Pepper growers in Pathanamthitta and Wayanad districts also complain of quick-wilt diseases. Extension officers under the Kerala State Agriculture Department have reported quick-wilt infestation of pepper gardens in several panchayats of Pathanamthitta district. Bina Varughese, Krishi Officer of Aruvapalam Panchayat, said some 1,200 vines have been found infested by the disease in the panchayat. Similar cases have been reported from neighbouring panchayats also.
According to Joshua Daniel, a pepper grower in the region, a good number of pepper vines in his plantation has been found affected and immediate remedial measures have arrested its further spreading.
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 in the range of 55,000-65,000 tonnes until few years ago.
Internal absorption of pepper in the country is projected at 45,000 - 48,000 tonnes. Since the usage of pepper is in very small quantity, the price hike has not affected the consumption.