Indian growers fear influx of Guatemalan cardamom

INDIAN cardamom growers fear that, with the harvest in Guatemala starting in December, smuggling through the Nepal border may impact prices here.

Though there has been a drop of Rs100 ($2.20) to Rs150 a kg during the last six to seven weeks, growers are more or less happy with the current price tags.

Guatemala is the world’s largest cardamom producer and as the commodity pours in, domestic demand will be affected, which, in turn, may cause a crash in price tags.

Domestic growers had not expected a price fall during Diwali and Ramadan.

However prices dropped by Rs100 to Rs150 a kg.

A leading grower attributed the drop to the withdrawal of north Indian buyers from the market expecting Guatemalan produce to enter shortly.