Production practices Cardamom production

cardamom drying machine

much production of cardamom in india cultivated on private property or in areas government owns , leases out farmers. traditionally, small plots of land within forests (called eld-kandies) wild or acclimatised plant existed cleared during february , march. brushwood cut down , burned, , roots of powerful weeds torn free soil. after clearing, cardamom plants spring on prepared plots, , then, if left alone couple of years, time cardamom plants may have 8 ten leaves , reach 1 foot (0.30 m) in height. in third year, may 4 feet (1.2 m) in height. in following may-june ground again weeded, , september november light crop obtained. in fourth year, weeding again occurs, , if cardamoms found growing nearer 6 feet (1.8 m) apart, few transplanted new positions. plants bear 3 or 4 years, , historically life of each plantation 8 or 9 years. seasons in malabar little later in mysore, , according reports, full crop may obtained in third year. believed above 2,000 feet (610 m), cardamoms grown of better quality below altitude.

plants may raised seed or division of rhizome. in year, seedlings reach 1 foot (0.30 m) in length, , ready transplantation. flowering season april may, , after swelling in august , september, first half of october attain desired degree of ripening. crop accordingly gathered in october , november, , in exceptionally moist weather, harvest protracts december. @ time of harvesting, scapes or shoots bearing clusters of fruits broken off close stems , placed in baskets lined fresh leaves. fruits spread out on prepared floors, covered mats, , exposed sun. 4 or 5 days of careful drying , bleaching in sun enough, in rainy weather, artificial heat drying necessary, though fruits suffer in colour when course resorted to, , in consequence bleached steam , sulphurous vapour or ritha nuts.

the industry highly labor intensive, , each hectare requires high degree of maintenance throughout year. production constraints mentioned recurring climate vagaries, absence of regular re-plantation, , ecological conditions associated deforestation.