Challenges and Innovations in Cardamom Cultivation
Cardamom is one of the most costly and challenging crops to grow due to its delicacy, vulnerability to diseases and pests, and the need for constant field monitoring. The crop is reported to be highly sensitive to weather conditions, with last summer's heat causing significant losses in Kerala and Guatemala, where about 60% of the crop was lost.
Prices have sharply risen due to tight supply, with cardamom prices increasing by approximately 70% last year to 1,178 rupees per kilo. This reflects the difficulty growers face in producing consistent yields.
The Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI), under the Spices Board, plays a critical role in addressing these challenges through research aimed at crop improvement, pest and disease surveillance, soil management, capacity building, and technology transfer. The institute is developing a digital app to monitor soil health and provide tailored recommendations to farmers.
Farmers are increasingly adopting digital tools to monitor soil quality, moisture, disease symptoms, and receive timely alerts about rainfall and pests through their mobile phones. Research is also advancing to develop hardier, drought-tolerant, and high-yielding cardamom varieties by exploring genetic markers, although molecular-level studies remain limited.
Post-harvest processing is vital, with drying pods considered a critical step. Innovations such as heat-pump dryers introduced by Graayma reduce wood-drying costs and improve quality by preserving the distinctive green color of cardamom pods. These dryers charge about 10 rupees per kilo in comparison to the 14 rupees typically charged for wood drying.
Some farmers have turned to organic cultivation methods such as Vrikshayurveda, especially after suffering early crop losses. While organic farming can lower input costs, it remains demanding, requiring extensive soil knowledge and experimentation.
Labour forms about 75% of cardamom production costs. Harvesting is a highly skilled task predominantly carried out by women. Mechanization is limited to spraying and weeding, with full automation yet to be developed.
Cardamom farming is time-intensive and unpredictable, often taking 10 to 12 years for farmers to fully understand and manage the crop effectively. This contributes to its reputation as a challenging and highly managed cash crop.
