Cardamom auctions to normalise this week

Cardamom auctions will normalise at all eight auction centres from this week as transportation of goods between the Kerala and Tamil Nadu borders has been restored. All auctions are scheduled for this week, except by Spices Trading Corporation Limited (STCL) in Bodinayakanur.

Cardamom auctions in Kerala and Tamil Nadu had came to a standstill since December 5 due to row over the Mullaperiyar dam. Road transportation between the two states had halted for the last few weeks owing to tense situation on the border areas. Stock worth Rs 100 crore had piled up due to no auctions. Auctions were re-started partially from December 28, after a meeting of stakeholders, convened by the Spices Board.

According to P C Punnoose of CPMC, the auctions have got a good response and arrivals to various auction centres have also increased. In major auction centres like the Kerala Cardamom Processing and Marketing Company, 100 tonnes were brought to be auctioned on an average and minor centres got 40 tonnes. On January 1, KCPMC had auctioned 122 tonnes as there was good demand from north India markets.

There is also a spurt in prices and average price has increased to Rs 500-520 a kg. This was Rs 400 when the dam issue had brewed up and auctions were stalled. Best quality cardamom now fetches Rs 800-850 a kg.

Punnoose added that trading of cardamom would pick up after January 15 as the people of Tamil Nadu celebrate Pongal festival. Most of the traders are from Tamil Nadu, hence after Pongal, sale of cardamom is expected to pick up further.