Cardamom farmers said severe summer destroyed crops worth ₹113 crore in 16,621 hectares, and they were yet to receive the compensation.
Published Sep 28, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 10, 2024 | 9:16 PM
A cardamom farmer in Idukki refused to provide a picture of his plantation since his plants were not looking good after the summer. He later arranged the photograph of a 'healthy' plantation. (By special arrangement)
The overcrowded vehicles whizzed past the Kumily check post in Kerala, bringing in plantation workers, mostly women, from Tamil Nadu’s Cumbum and Gudalur. The women, some clad in colourful sweaters and monkey caps to escape the early morning chill, poured out of the vehicles as they stopped near the bus stand.
Almost all of them carried plastic-woven bags of different hues that secured their lunchboxes. Many of them had rice in plastic bags. The rice, distributed free of cost, is sold in Kerala, and it provides them an additional income. Authorities, however, have now started cracking down on this illegal business.
In a few minutes, the women have dispersed to various cardamom plantations. They would return in the evening, chattering, to catch the vehicles home.
The cardamom plantations in Idukki, however, do not present a colourful picture. South First contacted a planter in Kumily for a picture of his plantation. He refused but promised to arrange a picture of a “healthy” plantation.
“My plants do not look good after the summer,” his words summarised the plight of cardamom farmers in the district.
The Spices Board under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has recently introduced a scheme, Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative, and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED).
With a budget of ₹422.30 crore, the initiative aims to significantly enhance the export of spices and value-added products, specifically by improving cardamom productivity and upgrading the post-harvest quality of spices across India. The scheme will be implemented till the end of the 2025-26 financial year.
Initiatives aimed at enhancing cardamom production focus on multiple facets to boost the productivity of both small and large cardamom farms. Key strategies include replanting and the production of quality planting materials, which are essential for improving yields.
To further safeguard farmers’ interests, programmes promoting weather-based insurance are also being implemented, providing a safety net against climatic uncertainties. These comprehensive measures collectively aim to strengthen the cardamom sector and support farmers in achieving sustainable productivity.
Cardamom (small) is primarily cultivated along the Western Ghats in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
According to the Spices Board of India’s Annual Report 2022-23, Kerala leads with approximately 60 percent of India’s cardamom production, followed by Karnataka at 30 percent and Tamil Nadu at 10 percent. The total area under small cardamom cultivation in 2022-23 was 70,410 hectares (ha) with an estimated production of 24,463 metric tonnes.
Cardamom growers in the general category are being offered financial assistance of ₹1, 00,000 and ₹2, 10,000 for SC and ST farmers per ha in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and ₹75, 000 for general and ₹1, 68,000 for SC and ST farmers per ha in Karnataka. This covers 33.33 percent and 75 percent, respectively, of the replanting and maintenance costs during the gestation period.
In 2022–23, the government assisted in replanting small cardamom in 444.90 ha. Under the programme, financial assistance of ₹430.85 lakh (which includes the second instalments of 2021-22 along with backlog payments of the first instalment of 2021-22) was provided, benefitting 1,232 growers.
The Idukki district in Kerala is the heart of cardamom farming, contributing 70 percent of India’s cardamom production and is renowned for producing top-quality varieties.
Vandanmedu in Kumily is one of the world’s largest cardamom auction centres. Currently, the Puttady Cardamom Auction Centre in Idukki handles the auctioning of nearly 70,000 to 100,000 kilograms of cardamom daily. This boom in production has also led to the generation of employment, attracting around 20,000 workers from Tamil Nadu, who travel to Idukki for seasonal plantation work.
Lok Sabha member from Idukki Dean Kuriakose has urged Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to provide financial assistance from the Spices Board for farmers cultivating cardamom on leased land.
‘’Although the Spices Board is accepting applications for financial aid for re-cultivation, it is not processing requests from those farming on leased land. Thousands of farmers rely on leased land for cardamom cultivation, and must possess the necessary registration approved by the revenue department,” Kuriakose told South First.
He said those farmers were not receiving the financial support they previously obtained, despite facing significant crop losses due to drought. The absence of financial assistance poses considerable challenges for farmers trying to sustain their cardamom cultivation.
The MP emphasised the urgent need for rolling out measures to ensure that farmers on leased land received the support of the Spices Board.
Vipin Kumar, a cardamom grower from Pooppara, Idukki, said the farmers were now facing the worst crisis in history.
“Severe summer has damaged crops worth ₹113 crore, and we are yet to receive the compensation. Cardamom crops in 16,621 hectares were destroyed due to the intense heat. The drought adversely affected 22,311 cardamom farmers, with only 20 percent of the plantations, which had better irrigation facilities, surviving the harsh conditions,” he told South First.
Kumar said the agriculture minister announced the compensation after assessing the drought in the district. “However, apart from appointing a panel to study the situation, no further action has been taken. We are now facing a severe financial crisis,” he said.
Tinku Devasia of Realgreen Spices at Thopramkudy in Idukki estimated a crop loss of 30 percent to 40 percent.
The harvest is significantly lower due to severe drought conditions. The pod size has been reduced, which will lead to a drop in prices. Typically, a healthy plant produces around 1 kg of dried cardamom. With around 400 to 450 plants cultivated per acre, a farmer can usually yield around 450 kg per acre. At an average price of ₹2,360 per kg, this amounts to over ₹10 lakh per acre. However, the losses this year have been massive, with many farmers losing half of their plants,” he told South First.
Most farmers in Thopramkudy cultivate cardamom on leased land. “When it comes to receiving financial aid from the government, farmers on leased land are often excluded,” Devasia noted. “Unlike farmers who own their land, those on leased land don’t even qualify for electricity subsidies.”
Devasia said the domestic market has been active with North Indian states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Delhi being the biggest buyers.
“The UAE is a major player in exports but we face challenges exporting to countries like Germany due to issues with chemical pesticides. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to cultivate cardamom without using pesticides,” he added.
In September 2020, the central Government removed Subash Vasu, former state general secretary of the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an NDA ally in Kerala, from his position as chairperson of the Spices Board of India.
The BDJS had called on the BJP’s national leadership to act against Vasu, citing his alleged anti-organisational activities. BDJS State President Thushar Vellappally recommended AG Thankappan to replace Vasu.
A top Spices Board official told South First the board was now without a chairman. “AG Thankappan previously held the position, and after the completion of his tenure, an IAS officer took charge. However, the chairman position is now vacant,” he said, requesting anonymity.
‘’The primary goal of the Spices Board is to promote the export of spices and facilitate the domestic marketing of cardamom. Idukki is the leading producer of small cardamom in India, while large cardamom is primarily grown in northeastern states,” he said.
Annually, around 5,000 to 6,000 tonnes of small cardamom are exported, although a significant portion remains in the domestic market. The price of cardamom is a crucial factor for exports: When domestic prices rise, exports decline. However, this is advantageous for farmers since they can sell their produce in the domestic market.
The Directorate of Plantations was established under the Department of Industries in 2021. Its primary aim is to revitalise the plantation sector in Kerala by enhancing productivity, adding value to plantation products, and exploring new market opportunities.
Nishand S, Deputy Director of Plantations Directorate, informed South First about an initiative receiving ₹2,390.86 crore support from the World Bank.
The initiative, Kerala Climate Resilient Agri Value Chain Modernization Project (KERA), aims to modernise various crops and is expected to benefit five lakh farmers across Kerala.
“We are in the process of planning programmes for replanting cardamom, but nothing is finalised yet. At present, we are working on the formulation of the schemes,” he said.
He noted that the Plantations Directorate has conducted a comprehensive study in the area of plantations through the Irrigated Agriculture Modernization (IAM) initiative. “After getting the report, we will formulate further activities,” he added.
Additionally, he mentioned that the directorate is formulating schemes for export, marketing, diversification, and value addition, which will include financial assistance. “These initiatives will be implemented within the next two or three months,” Nishand said.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
