As per the Spices Board data, the production of cardamom went up from 22,165 tons in 2022-23  to 22,868 tons in 2023-24. During this period, the area of cultivation remained the same at 40,345 hectares. Zacharia said although the production had increased during the 2023-24 period, the production this season (2024-25) is expected to decline by 30-40%.

Small scale farmers federation president Y C Stephen told TNIE after the cardamom prices soared to an all-time high of Rs 7,000 in 2019, more farmers started cardamom cultivation in the following years. “However climate vagaries took a toll on the cardamom industry resulting in farmers facing losses from its cultivation,” he said.

As per the Spices Board, the daily auction price of cardamom which climbed to Rs 7,000/kg in August 2019 later plunged to Rs 1,500 in 2020. The price was hovering between Rs 700-800/kg in 2021 and continued to stay between Rs 1300-1500/kg in 2022. In June 2023, the price climbed to Rs 3,000 and touched Rs 4,000/kg on November 25, 2023.

From June 2024, the cardamom price continued to stay over Rs 3,000/kg and the daily price recorded at auction on January 9, 2025 was Rs 4,511.

Stephen pointed out that wild animal attack is a serious issue faced by cardamon farmers in the high ranges. “Marauding wild elephants, bison and other animals would damage the cardamom plants. In cardamon growing areas including Vandiperiyar, Nedumkandam, Santhanpara and Udumbanchola, wild animal conflicts are very severe,” he said.