Cardamom Cultivation in Kerala Faces Challenges Amid Rising Prices and Technological Advances
Cardamom farming in Kerala, a delicate and pest- and disease-prone crop, requires constant field attention. Last summer's heat caused significant damage to cardamom crops, a problem also faced by Guatemala, leading to a sharp rise in prices by about 70% last year, reaching 1,178 rupees per kilogram.
The Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) under the Spices Board of India is working on crop improvement methods including pest and disease surveillance, soil management, and technology transfer. They have introduced a digital app to monitor soil health and offer tailored recommendations to farmers. Smallholder farmers increasingly rely on digital tools to monitor soil quality, moisture, and disease symptoms, benefiting from rainfall and disease alerts available on mobile phones.
Researchers at Kerala Agricultural University are developing disease- and pest-tolerant, high-yielding, climate-resilient cardamom varieties. They have identified one drought-tolerant line and are utilizing genetic markers to accelerate breeding.
Post-harvest processing, especially drying pods, is critical; the company Graayma/Graamya has introduced heat-pump dryers to replace traditional wood drying. This method costs about 10 rupees per kilo versus 14 for wood drying and improves the quality and color of the pods.
Organic farming has found advocates like Mathews George, who transitioned from banking to farming and, after early setbacks, improved yields through Vrikshayurveda techniques. Organic methods can reduce input costs and offer profitable options for farmers, though outcomes vary seasonally.
Labor remains a significant cost, accounting for about 75% of cardamom expenses. Harvesting is a skilled and labor-intensive task, often performed by women. While mechanization has been introduced for spraying and weeding, pruning and harvesting remain tasks that are not yet mechanizable.
