Rajakumari: A weak monsoon and unusually high temperatures have cast a shadow over this year's cardamom season in the high ranges, with delayed harvesting, poor flowering and the threat of lower yields, leaving growers worried.

With rainfall remaining far below normal, farmers say the rain-dependent crop is already showing signs of stress across much of the cardamom-growing belt. While the first harvest of the season has begun in a few pockets that received relatively better rainfall and cooler weather, plantations across much of the cardamom belt are yet to reach the harvest stage. Farmers fear that production could drop significantly if substantial rainfall does not arrive in the coming days.

The situation has been compounded by climate-related challenges. Diseases such as yellowing and capsule drop have become increasingly common, affecting crop health and productivity. Farmers say the prevailing weather conditions are also unfavourable for flowering, a crucial stage in the crop cycle. Many growers who applied lime and sulphur in anticipation of heavy rains have suffered losses as the expected downpours failed to materialise.

Market prices surge
Cardamom prices, which hovered around Rs. 2,300 per kg at the beginning of June, have now risen to nearly Rs. 2,700 per kg. A week ago, the commodity was trading at around Rs. 2,600 per kg, while on the corresponding day last year, prices stood at Rs. 2,400 per kg.

Farmers attribute the steady arrivals at auction centres despite concerns about production to traders' intervention. According to them, when market prices rise, large traders gradually release stocks they accumulated earlier, ensuring a continuous flow of cardamom to auction centres.

High ranges reel under unseasonal heat
Adding to farmers' woes is the unusually warm weather being experienced in the high ranges, despite it being June. Apart from the rains received at the beginning of the month, the district has received little rain. Temperatures in several high-range locations touched 28°C on Sunday.

The unusual rise in temperature during the monsoon period has become a cause for concern in the agricultural sector. Compared with the low ranges, the high ranges have recorded a much sharper decline in summer rainfall. The district as a whole has reported a 39% deficit in summer rains.

Farmers had pinned their hopes on the southwest monsoon after June 1, but the high ranges have received less than 20 cm of rainfall so far. Weather observers expect rainfall activity to pick up from today onwards, with showers likely to continue till Wednesday.