6 months ago
1
A large harvest nonaccomplishment successful Guatemala has provided a important boost to Kerala’s cardamom sector, arsenic exports of the harvest from India has astir doubled successful 2025. The State is the large shaper of the spice successful India.
According to information from the Spices Board of India, 6,827 tonnes of cardamom were exported betwixt April and October 2025, a crisp emergence from the 3,663 tonnes exported during the aforesaid play successful 2024.
Spices Board Chairperson Sangeetha Vishwanathan told The Hindu that the exports are expected to ascent further.
“The nonaccomplishment of the ample cardamom harvest successful Guatemala is the superior crushed for the surge successful Indian exports. Local accumulation has besides accrued this year,” Ms. Vishwanathan said. “The Gulf remains our superior market, and the rising measurement of exports has greatly benefited the home sector. Diversification has besides helped america seizure much marketplace share. Final accumulation information volition beryllium disposable lone aft the harvest play ends,” said Ms. Vishwanathan.
Rise aft a dip
According to sources, Kerala produced 18,310 metric tonnes of cardamom successful 2024-25, down from 22,869 metric tonnes successful 2023-24.
“A terrible drought successful 2024 caused the accumulation dip successful the 2024-25 season. However, the expected accumulation for 2025-26 is astir 22,000 metric tonnes. Actual figures volition beryllium confirmed aft March 2026,” said the source.
S.B. Prabhakar, a cardamom planter successful Pampadumpara, Idukki, noted that portion Guatemala’s accumulation is expected to beryllium astir 17,000 tonnes this play (up from 14,000 tonnes past year), it remains acold beneath the humanities average.
“In mean years, Guatemala produces betwixt 40,000 and 50,000 tonnes. As replanting was stalled owed to past year’s drought, their accumulation adjacent twelvemonth volition apt hover astir 22,000 tonnes,” Mr. Prabhakar said. “This debased output successful Guatemala volition proceed to payment the Indian cardamom assemblage for the adjacent fewer years.” Mr. Prabhakar added.
Stany Pothen, president of the Cardamom Planters Federation, besides concurred and said the existent marketplace spot is owed to the concern successful Central America. Mr. Pothen had visited the Alta Verapaz portion successful north-central Guatemala and witnessed the harm to crops firsthand.
“Due to the El Niño effect, astir 60% of cardamom plantations successful Guatemala were damaged. Most farmers determination turn cardamom for a livelihood alternatively than utilizing precocious commercialized farming systems. Out of astir 3 lakh acres of cultivation, astir were affected. This nonaccomplishment has cleared the mode for Indian cardamom,” said Mr. Pothen.
At the commencement of the play successful July, exporters anticipated prices for cardamom to beryllium astir ₹1,800 per kg. However, the marketplace has remained consistently strong, with mean prices ranging betwixt ₹2,300 and ₹2,600 per kg. “Favourable upwind this play has helped summation the yield. While the harvest play usually ends successful February, the existent clime whitethorn widen the harvest by different 1 to 2 months.” said the source.
