A kg of cardamom is getting a market value of more than Rs 550 these days. Premium quality green cardamom is being sold for more than Rs 650. Ironically, the total yield has gone down by 50 per cent this year.
“Last year, I had got about 40 kg cardamom. I doubt in getting at least 20-25 kg yield this year,” says a farmer.
“It may be due to the incessant rains in July. The crops got decayed at an early stage itself,” says another grower. There was no scope for proper pollination due to heavy rains and bad weather, which could be one more reason for the drop in the yield.
Some farmers are selling their yields now thinking that Rs 600 is a good price while some other are storing it presuming that the market may go up to Rs 800 this year.
“No cardamom in the market, and hence the rate is going up day by day,” said a local trader. There are also arguments that the low yield is due to negligence towards the crop in the recent years.
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