Continuous Rains Disrupt Cardamom Harvest in Kerala

21-Jul-2025 08:06 PM

Thiruvananthapuram. The continuous torrential rains in various districts of the country's far southern state - Kerala have not only disrupted water life and flooded the lower areas but are also hampering the plucking and preparation of other spice crops including cardamom. There is difficulty in plucking tea leaves in the upper areas.

Not only this, but the Meteorological Department has also issued an orange alert of heavy rains in nine districts of the state for the next few days, which includes Idukki, Ernakulam, Tripur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod districts.

It is worth mentioning that in Kerala, Idukki is famous for the production of cardamom, Wayanad for black pepper and Kasargod district for the production of betel nut.

A yellow alert has been issued for the remaining districts of Kerala, which indicates normal rainfall. It is noteworthy that orange alert is issued when there is a possibility of heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm, whereas yellow alert is issued for rainfall of 6 to 11 cm.

The Meteorological Department has expressed the possibility of normal rainfall with strong surface wind flow at one or two places in all the districts of Kerala. Due to this, the producers of small cardamom are more worried because its crop has started ripening.

Due to rain, the gardens are filled with water and in such a situation, if the cardamom grains break and fall into the water due to the flow of strong wind (whose speed can be up to 40 km per hour), then there can be a lot of damage.

The water level in the dams and reservoirs in Palakkad district has become very high and its gates are being opened, due to which a flood-like situation has appeared in the lower areas.

In Pathanamthitta and Kasargod districts, the water in Manimala and Mogral rivers has reached above the danger mark. People living on the banks of rivers have been advised to remain alert.