: A wrong perception of judging the quality of cardamom in terms of its colour, shape, and smell has resulted in spreading mono variety of the crop, large-scale destruction of trees, and intensive use of banned pesticides in the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) areas.
As per a survey by the Botanical Survey of India, there are 13 species of cardamom in the Western Ghats, of which a large number is now confined to the forest areas, as farmers prefer highly-productive varieties, though they are highly sensitive to changes in climatic and soil conditions. Such species need extra care and farmers spray red-labelled pesticides and apply chemical fertilizers for high production. This has badly affected natural elements in the soil and the atmospheric temperature in the cardamom cultivation areas, in addition to the high level of pollution of water sources and living organisms.
Sensitive varieties
Over 80 per cent of cardamom cultivation in the CHR has turned to one or two varieties that require less shade and frequent application of pesticides and fertilizers.
Principal Agriculture Officer P.G. Ushakumary said a Statewide campaign, in the line of the one against endosulfan, was needed in the CHR area against the rampant usage of red-labelled pesticides. She said the banned pesticides reached the district through the border check-posts of Kumily and Combom Mettu at night. Special squads would be deployed to effectively deal with the banned pesticides, she added.
Several farmers The Hindu contacted said they preferred the new varieties for replanting as it could be harvested five times a season from June. With extra care, the plants provided more than double the quantity over the traditionally cultivated species, most of which could be cultivated only thrice a season, though the plants were highly adaptable to changes in weather or atmospheric temperature. They were more resistant and required less pesticides and fertilizers.
Wrong perceptions
Ponni V.S., who had done research as part of a project of the Spices Board of India, said the market value of cardamom was judged on the basis of a wrong perception, prompting the farmers to turn away from good agriculture practices.
Red-labelled pesticides were sprayed heavily to destroy thrips (sclothrips cardamoni), which suck the juice from the outer cover leaving scratches on the beans. These scratches reduced the crop’s value in the market, though they had no effect on the grains inside, she said.
Artificial green colour is added to dried cardamom to increase the price fetched. In reality, the crop is fully ripe when it is yellow and the grains will have more oil content then. However, yellow beans are considered inferior in the market. Bolt-shaped beans and big grains are valued high, though the small grains provide equal quality.
Sudarshanan V., an organic cardamom farmer, said the pesticides applied could seep into the grains and affect their quality. And the farmers artificially created that ‘high quality’ as per market demands, he added.
