IDUKKI: Cardamom prices hit an all-time record of Rs 6,000 a kg at the Spices Board of India’s auction centre at Puttady two days ago. The highest price quoted in the first auction of June 29 morning was Rs 3,301.23. In the auction held by Header Systems Ltd, Nedumkandam, as much as 34,602.5 kg of cardamom was brought in and 34,516.3 kg was sold. This points to an increase in demand both domestically and internationally.
At the evening auction held by Mass Enterprises, Vandanmedu, the maximum price quoted was Rs 3,414 and the average price was Rs 3,110.01 a kg. Of the 14,117.9 kg that arrived for auctioning, 13,798.9 kg was sold. Auction prices from a day before were `3,421 (maximum) and Rs 3,074.05 (average). Market sources say it is a positive trend.
The prices are unlikely to drop even as new produce is expected to hit the market by July. Current auctions were held by traders who have kept large stocks. The surge in prices was beneficial to these traders. Small-scale cardamom farmers are yet to reap the benefits as harvesting of presently cultivated cardamom could be done only by August.