Cardamom's aroma to fade away as prices may fall 25%

Thursday, Jul 9

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI – Cardamom has been a favourite of traders up until now as it has been fetching higher prices ever since the heavy rainfall and flood in Kerala two years ago. But now with likely higher production and the COVID-19 pandemic hitting demand, cardamom growers are starting to get worried as prices are expected to fall by 25-30%.

The floods in August 2018 swept away a large chunk of cardamom plantations in Kerala, driving average prices up to a record high of 4,733 rupees per kg at the spot auctions that year. A year later, prices skyrocketed to a high of 7,000 rupees. Since then, prices have remained in a range of 1,500-3,800 rupees, against the normal range of 900-1,100 rupees.

Currently, the average price of small cardamom at the auctions is 1,500-1,600 rupees per kg.

"A higher estimated production for 2020-21 (Jul-Jun) and tepid demand due to the virulent pandemic is likely to lead to a fall in prices to around 1,000 rupees during the peak picking season," said Nishanth Varghese, manager-operations at Kochi-based Kancor Ingredients Ltd.

Traders see cardamom production in the next season at 22,000-23,000 tn, against 16,000 tn in 2019-20. However, the Spices Board of India has pegged the country's 2019-20 output at a much lower 11,230 tn.

"Major consuming centres like Delhi, Kanpur, Mumbai and Tamil Nadu are badly affected by COVID-19 so consumer demand is less. The overall consumption has also fallen because of low spending capacity, not everyone can afford it nor is it an essential item," said P.C. Punnose, chief executive officer of The Cardamom Planters Marketing Cooperative Society.

During the lockdown period, 70-75% of traders lost considerable amount of money. They had stocked up in anticipation of a further rise in prices but the pandemic has unfortunately prolonged, said Punnose.

On the trade front, buyers are in a wait-and-watch mode before making bulk purchases, fearing lower returns.

"...market players do not want to invest because the level of uncertainty following the COVID-19 outbreak is very high... prices are expected to be around 1,200 rupees in coming months," said Hemen Ruparel of Mumbai-based exporter Samex India Pvt Ltd.

Though the overall outlook for the commodity is seen bearish, likely fall in supply during the peak season and any adverse weather in the coming months would stabilise the prices, traders said.

Even though the crop condition looks good so far, fear of excess and continuous rains over the coming months may have a negative impact on the crop which is near its picking period, and this may lead to downgrade of qualitative and quantitative estimates, said Varghese.

Currently, the first round of picking has started in Kerala and new crop of cardamom is arriving in small quantities at auctions. The quantity will increase in August and the second round of picking will start in September.

"Rains have just started two days ago. It's late by over a month. Cardamom needs rain... it's the main important factor. Dams, rivers are not getting filled. We genuinely have to wait till August to be sure. Crop is expected to be good but again if heavy rains occur, there will be damage," said Anjo T. Jose, executive director of Mas Enterprises.

After markets reopened and auctions resumed, stockists started offloading old stocks and are holding only 15-20% of carryover stocks from the previous season.

Although traders have made space for the new season's crop, they will also look for opportunities to make the most of a good turn in prices, if that happens.

"If prices fall more and there is some unexpected weather adversity, then we will hold stocks and wait for prices to rise," said Joseph Kattakkayam, a grower based in south India.

Being a labour-intensive crop, movement of migrant labourers to their hometowns has become another cause of headache for planters. Labourers from Tamil Nadu might also not come due to inter-state travel restrictions. This may lead to restricted arrivals during Aug-Sep, the peak harvest season, traders said.

On the flip side, this could be good news for consumers, especially for lower income households, as the aromatic spice may finally become affordable this festival season. 

By Preeti Bhagat and Kavita Desai
Edited by Maheswaran Parameswaran
http://www.cogencis.com

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Corona takes the sheen out of cardamom growers

Thiruvananthapuram, April 22 (IANS)

Kerala which leads the country with a giant share of 89 per cent of the total production of cardamom, is finding its growers in a difficult situation. The cardamom growers are reeling as COVID-19 has hit them very hard.
The growers sell their produce by participating in the auction, held at Bodinayakkanur in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, which lies close to the Thekkady tourist location in the Idukki district in Kerala.
In Kerala, Idukki is the home of cardamom growers who own large and small holdings and the total area under cardamom cultivation is around 38,000 hectares.
Though there is an auction centre at Vandanmeddu in Idukki district, the auction centre in Bodinayakkanur is the single most popular centre, as far as the cardamom auction is concerned.
Speaking to IANS, Sunny Mathew, executive member of the Cardamom Growers Association said things are bleak and getting bad.
"Ours is a product which fetches the highest price when the colour of the cardamom is best and fresh. Any delay in getting the product out of our farms spells danger. Sadly it''s been a month now as the premier auction centre is closed. We have never ever had such a long delay and it comes at a time when the prices were looking bright," said Mathew, a grower and also an exporter.
Cardamom from Kerala farms is auctioned and it goes to north India and for exports.
The peak market for this high quality and popular spice, used for baking and cooking purpose across the globe, begins when the yield is taken from September and tapers in January.
"This time the production has come down from 28,000 tones, last year to around 18,000 tones. When production comes down, the price rises and in January this year a kilogram of cardamom touched Rs 3,000 and when the lockdown began it was around Rs 2,300," said Mathew.
With Bodinayakkanur now declared as a hotspot for Covid-19, things are going to be bad and it would prevent auctioneers and their agents to arrive there.
"We want the government to come to our support. The Spices Board should take our products and based on our cost of production, they should lift our stock. If it does not happen, then the production would be seriously affected this year, as we do not have funds to invest. Also liberal moratoriums with regards to interest waiver and repayment also should be there," said Mathew.
--IANS
sg/dpb

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#CARDAMOM - Lockdown takes a toll on cardamom

Shipments to Gulf countries in limbo

V Sajeev Kumar  - Kochi April 16, 2020

 Growers saddled with unsold stocks as Ramadan export potential goes awry

The Covid-19 pandemic has cast a shadow over India’s cardamom export prospects, particularly to Gulf countries during the holy Ramadan month, which begins on April 21 and runs up to May 20.

Exporters say Indian cardamom -- especially the 7 to 8 mm capsules -- was dominating in the Gulf markets because of its quality and price competitiveness vis-a-vis the Guatemalan variety. With the Gulf markets in the grip of the pandemic, cardamom exports from India have come to a standstill.
However, a Kochi-based exporter said his company is pinning hopes on the revival of exports to Saudi Arabia, which was suspended following issues connected with pesticide residue levels. The kingdom is reported to have taken positive steps in modifying the MRL levels, as Indian cardamom is a major ingredient in qahwa, a traditional coffee drink of the region.
Missed chance

It may be recalled that the issues connected with pesticide residue limits imposed by Saudi had impacted the prospects of Indian cardamom. Exports of the spice in 2019-20 was around 500 tonnes valued at ?150 crore compared to 2,000 tonnes in the previous year.

M Dhanavanthan, an exporter based in Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu, told BusinessLine that exporters have missed a business opportunity in the Ramadan period and the situation has made it even more difficult to clear the stocks. Most of the stocks are lying with farmers and traders. Only if the stocks are cleared, planters can invest in new crop, for which the first picking season begins by the end of May or early June.

Though the export market is likely to open up by August-September, there could be more stringent measures in the post-Covid days, he added.

The auctioneers in Vandanmedu said the stoppage of auctions since mid-March has caused accumulation of stock, leading to cash crunch to growers. It is estimated that around 800 tonnes of cardamom valued at ?200 crore could not be disposed of due to the suspension of auctions.

Bodinayakanur in Theni district, which is the primary trade centre for cardamom, is also a hotspot for the coronavirus. This has hindered the movement of cargo and traders. With the auctions suspended, there is confusion over pricing among farmers.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/commodities/

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