IDUKKI : The pungent aroma and zesty taste of green cardamom attracted traders from foreign lands, including Europeans and Arabs, to Kerala for centuries. However, the overuse of pesticides and chemical fertilisers in the plantations resulted in the spice losing its charm over time, forcing local traders to opt for adulteration techniques, including colouring, to give cardamom its natural hue and flavour.
But, on the slopes bordering the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Madupetty, Vandiperiyar, organic cardamom is making a comeback, thanks to the efforts of Satheesh S, a farmer who has developed 14 high-yielding varieties that are drought-tolerant and pesticide-free.
It took Satheesh 10 years of research and effort to develop the varieties he has named ‘Erumathuruthiyil Elam’. “Cardamom is an essential ingredient in many beverages and foods, yet adulteration and pesticide use made it harmful for human consumption. Despite being a cardamom farmer, even I was forced to use produce with toxic residues,” Satheesh told TNIE. The realisation of the long-term impact that pesticides can have on ecosystems and human health was what led Satheesh to think of developing a new variety that can be adapted to organic farming, is climate resilient and gives farmers good yield in a short time.
The 1.5 acres of land Satheesh owns in Madupetty was his laboratory, where he nurtured the the new varieties. The efforts that spanned nearly 10 years included collecting lost high-yielding organic varieties of cardamom, cross pollination, multiplication and hardening to enable them to adapt to any climatic condition.
“I cultivated the plants in a hilly area where water is scarce. However, they have developed well, even without shade. And I use only organic fertilisers and pesticides,” Satheesh said While 600kg of normal green cardamom are required to produce 100kg of dry cardamom, the same amount can be generated with just 450kg of his organic variety, as the water content in his cardamom capsules are less compared to the normal variety. “Besides, the organic variety fetches double the price of inorganic cardamom at auctions,” he said.
Preethy Thomas, an official with the Cardamom Research Centre in Pampadumpara, said, when compared to the Njallani variety, which is extensively cultivated in Idukki, the new variety developed by Satheesh is short statured. “This makes it tolerant to wind and resistant to both biotic and abiotic stresses,” she said. “The cardamom panicles are short with closer internode and the number of capsules is more compared to other varieties. Since its requires low inputs, the cultivation cost can be reduced considerably,” she said.
Preethy said the centre has drafted an application, which will be submitted to the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (PPVFRA), to register it as a farmer-developed cardamom variety. “However, at least five more years will be required to complete the studies and release it as a state variety in collaboration with the Kerala Agriculture University,” she said.
At the recent Genetic Resources Expo organised by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) in Uttar Pradesh, the department exhibited Satheesh’s ‘Erumathuruthiyil Elam’ as a spices from Kerala. “Beyond the many benefits the new varieties give to farmers, I am more happy that I was able to revive the lost cardamom of Idukki which were renowned for their colour, aroma and taste,” said Satheesh, who has started distributing the saplings.