The details of total cardamom produced, exported and imported during the last three years and in the current year are given in the table:
Production, Export & Import of Cardamom
|
|
Spices
|
Year
|
Production (Tons)
|
Export
|
Import
|
|
Quantity (Tons)
|
Value (Rs.Crore.)
|
Quantity (Tons)
|
Value (Rs.Crore)
|
|
|
Cardamom(small)
|
2015-16
|
23,890
|
5,500
|
449.83
|
850
|
44.74
|
|
|
2016-17
|
17,990
|
3,850
|
421.50
|
1720
|
88.70
|
|
|
2017-18
|
20,650
|
5,680
|
609.08
|
685
|
43.79
|
|
|
2018-19(*)
|
12,950
|
2,250
|
242.50
|
353
|
28.24
|
|
Cardamom(large)
|
2015-16
|
5,315
|
600
|
75.51
|
3410
|
307.95
|
|
|
2016-17
|
5570
|
780
|
82.65
|
3120
|
242.42
|
|
|
2017-18
|
5,905
|
760
|
56.47
|
5,670
|
331.09
|
|
|
2018-19(*)
|
6,038
|
585
|
34.63
|
2,270
|
119.86
|
|
Source: Production: Estimate by Spices Board
|
|
Export/Import: DGCI&S Kolkata/Exporters' Returns/DLE/DLI from Customs
(*) Production: Preliminary estimate; Export / Import – Estimate for April 18-Oct.18 period
|
|
The price of cardamom(small) has been showing fluctuating trend during the last three years. During the current year, the price has shown increasing trend in the domestic market. However, the price of cardamom (large) has been showing a declining trend in the domestic market from the year 2015-16 onwards. The weighted average auction price of cardamom(small) in India and the average domestic price of cardamom(large) at Gangtok for the last three years and in the current year are given below:
Crop Year
|
Weighted Average Auction Price of cardamom (small)
|
2015-16
|
628.64
|
2016-17
|
1088.50
|
2017-18
|
955.82
|
2018-19 (Aug-Dece.) (provisional)
|
1246.23
|
Source: Reports received from licensed cardamom auctioneers
Year
|
Average domestic price of cardamom (large) at Gangtok Market
|
2015-16
|
1470.91
|
2016-17
|
973.94
|
2017-18
|
599.70
|
2018-19 (Apr-Dec)
|
542.08
|
Source: Spices Board, Gangtok
Union Government through Spices Board has been implementing various programmes/ schemes under the Integrated Scheme for Export Promotion and Quality Improvement in Spices, and, Research and Development of Cardamom to increase the income of cardamom farmers which include, increasing production and productivity of cardamom through production of quality planting materials in the growers field, replanting of old, senile and uneconomic gardens, new planting of cardamom (large) in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, assistance for farm mechanization to address the labour problem and to reduce the cost of production, supply of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) kits to cardamom (small) growers to improve the quality of cardamom to get higher price for growers, promotional measures to increase the domestic consumption of cardamom,aggregation of farmers by promoting the formation of Spices Producer Societies for common processing, value addition, direct marketing etc.for better price realization,setting up of e-auction centres for cardamom(small) to ensure transparency and better price for cardamom to the growers etc.
Further, to protect the interest of domestic cardamom industry and to control the import of inferior quality cardamom from other origins, the Government had fixed the Minimum Import Price (MIP) of Cardamom at Rs. 500 per kg vide Notification dated the 6th February,2015 as there was drastic fall in the price of cardamom (small).
Measures taken by the Government to boost export of cardamom and other spices include development of infrastructure for common processing facilities in Spices Parks, adoption of Hi-Tech in spice processing , technology and process upgradation, setting-up/up-gradation of in-house quality evaluation labs, study of markets abroad, product development and research, pre-export analytical tests for meeting the quality specifications of consumer countries, assistance to farmers for post-harvest quality improvement in spices, trade promotion activities including participation in international fairs, promotion of Indian spice brands, conducting training programmes for the stakeholders in Good Agricultural Practices etc.
This information was given by the Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, C. R. Chaudhary, in written replies in the Lok Sabha today.
***
MM/SB