Nedumkandam: While farmers toil in the cardamom plantations, shedding sweat and enduring hardship, it is the thieves who walk away with the harvest. Cardamom estates in the region have witnessed thefts on an unprecedented scale. The targets are not just dried cardamom kept in stock—thieves also roam through plantations day and night, plucking the ripe crop with the skill and timing of seasoned workers.

Just the other day, during harvesting at the plantation of farmer Vettikkayathil Baby at Valiyathovala, sacks of freshly picked cardamom were stolen while workers stepped away for a short breakfast break. The harvest had begun early that morning, but the thieves struck in those few unattended moments.

A lucrative target for thieves
The high market price of cardamom and the low risk of getting caught have made it a favourite target. Farmers’ reluctance to lodge police complaints further encourages the crime. Even when stolen cardamom is recovered, the process of police seizure and evidence formalities means it is released only after several days—and by that time, the crop is often spoiled and of no use.

Most accused turn out to be guest workers
Of late, local police stations have been receiving several complaints on a daily basis. In most cases, those arrested turn out to be guest workers. In the latest incident, Udumbanchola police caught two guest workers with 50 kg of dried cardamom. There have also been cases where the accused were teenagers.

Farmers feel helpless
It is only after overcoming multiple crises and investing heavily that farmers manage to secure a decent harvest—only for thieves to rob not just their produce but also their hopes. With thefts becoming rampant, many farmers have started banding together to keep watch over their plantations. In earlier years, when cardamom prices soared, farmers had insisted on identity cards from sellers. Such measures, they say, can go a long way in preventing thefts.