KOCHI: The cardamom cultivation, the economic backbone of the high ranges, suffered a major setback with the price of cardamom a kilo falling to Rs 600. The steep fall in the price of cardamom, which touched Rs 2000 mark last year, underlines the fact that the government’s promise to stabilise the price has failed to yield any gain. On Monday, the cardamom price noted drastic fall with the average price at Rs 572 at the auction held at Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu.Heavy rain, fall in the price has come as a major setback for the cardamom farmers.Cardamom Farmers Association member Mathew Kurian said the price of the cardamom is plunging daily and the government had failed to stick to its stand to keep the price stable at Rs 1,000. “This year heavy rain and pest infection had adversely affected the farmers and if the price goes down like this it will be hard for us to survive,” he said. The farmers are in panic over the current market trend and further liquidation will be seen in the coming weeks. The high arrival of cardamom at the auction centre is another reason behind the price fall. “Panic among the farmers is one of the reasons for the fall in the price. When the prices started a minor decline at the auction centres, the farmers got alarmed and started liquidating the old stocks. But the demand for the cardamom is very low compared to that of its arrival. The government had formulated many steps but it has failed to see major result in stabilising the price. Since it is off season, the market price should have gone much higher. But even in the off season the arrival of the cardamom is very high,” said Srikandan Thampi, Spices Board officer.“The Spices Board has decided to promote the North Indian market by conducting promotional fair. The demand for the cardamom in the North is decreasing and so we have decided to conduct trade fairs in North India. Certainly, the Diwali season will increase the demand but that may not be enough to stabilise the market,” said Srikandan Thampi.
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