The all India average realisation prices for cardamom increased to Rs 407.91 a kg during the week-ended October 17 against Rs 404.31 the previous week.

Last year, the prices had dipped during the period from Rs 301.27 a kg to Rs 295.12 a kg.

Cardamom production is likely to be around 6,900-7,000 tonnes this crop year (August 1998-July 1999) against 7,650 tonnes last year.

In addition, the crop in Guatemala, India's main competitor in the global market, is also likely to fall to 12,000 tonnes from 15,000 tonnes due to pest attack.

A feature of the auctions during the week-ended October 17 was that cardamom realised higher prices at traditional auction centres in Kerala than the non-traditional centre of Mumbai.

The average price realisation has been high in Mumbai than other traditional centres in south India ever since the auctions began in December lastyear.

Vandenmettu centre in Kerala fetched the highest average price of Rs 442.94 a kg and auctions at Kumily, also in the same state, realised an average price of Rs 441.41 a kg. In comparison, Mumbai auctions fetched an average price of Rs 437.66 a kg.

Last year, auctions at Vandenmettu and Kumily had fetched average prices of Rs 273.54 and Rs 288 respectively during the same period.

Kerala centres have also accounted for large sale of cardamom as usual. Cardamom sale from the southern state accounted for over 240 tonnes of the 532 tonnes sold so far this season.

This is against 337 tonnes sold at the national level last year. Of this Kerala accounted for 166 tonnes. Prices in other auctions centres in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu also picked up during the period. In Bodinayakanur and Pattiveeran Patty centres of Tamil Nadu, all the five auctions between October 9 and 15 saw the prices increase to above Rs 400 a kg.

In Karnataka, prices at both Saklaspur and Sirsi have continued to be less than Rs330 a kg, the highest being Rs 327 on October 6. A little over 225 tonnes have been sold at the auction centres in Tamil Nadu against 93 tonnes sold during the same period last year.

In the wholesale market also the prices increased with the best variety being quoted at Rs 530/540 at Bodinayakanur during the week-ended October 17 against Rs 520/530 the previous week. Prices last year ranged between Rs 400 and Rs 425 during the same period.

The Coorg green CGEB variety was quoted steady at Rs 430/550 in Mangalore and at Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu, the bold variety was quoted at Rs 465/485 a kg against Rs 450/470 the previous week.

Prices of large cardamom also ruled high as compared to last year with the badadana (without tail) being quoted at Rs 8,500/9,000 a quintal and the one with tail at Rs 7,500/8,000 in Silguri, where the chotadana was quoted at Rs 6,800 a quintal. In Gangtok, badadana was quoted at Rs 6,500/6,813 and chotadana at Rs 6,250/6,500 a quintal.