The area under black pepper during 1997-98 made a marginal increase of 0.7 per cent to 1,81,550 hectares (ha) as compared to 1,80,260 ha in 1996-97. However, black pepper output made an increase of 3 per cent to 57,270 tonnes from 55,590 tonnes.

According to the latest estimates prepared by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Delhi, Kerala accounts for 95.8 per cent of the total area under the crop and 96.9 per cent of total production.

In the case of ginger too, the area expansion showed a downtrend which was noticed mainly in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Mizoram, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. During the period under survey, the total area brought under the crop fell by 3.09 per cent to 67,200 ha from 70,290 ha in 1996-97. Even in major ginger-producing states of Kerala andArunachal Pradesh, area expansion was below one per cent.

While Kerala's total area covered by the crop increased to 13,520 ha from 12,810 ha, Arunachal Pradesh increased its area to 4190 ha from 3330 ha.

Total ginger output, however, marked a slight increase of 1.15 per cent as it touched 2,33,660 tonnes from 2,32,510 tonnes. Even this increase in production can be attributed mainly to the higher productivity level in the northern states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal, Nagaland and West Bengal, which are now emerging as the most suitable areas for increasing both production and area under spices.

Arunachal Pradesh has shown a marked increase of nearly 8 per cent in output though its area under the crop increased only by 0.86 per cent. Kerala registered an increase of 3.25 per cent in output while its area expanded by 0.71 per cent.

Kerala's total output touched 51,720 tonnes from 48,470 tonnes on an area of 13,520 ha. Arunachal, on the other hand, recorded a production of 32,080 tonnes over theprevious year's 24,340 tonnes. Total output of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh declined by nearly 3 per cent and 2.19 per cent, respectively. In the case of cardamom, the decline in area was 2.62 per cent. The area brought under cardamom fell to 96,370 ha from 98,990 ha.

The country's cardamom output came down by 0.07 per cent to 12,540 tonnes from 12,610 tonnes. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu recorded dismal performance in coverage and production.

Kerala, the major producer of cardamom, maintained the previous year's level of 43,050 ha while its production reached 5430 tonnes from 5400 tonnes. Sikkim, the second largest producer of cardamom, increased its output to 4640 tonnes from 4590 tonnes. Sikkim is cultivating cardamom on an area of 23,680 ha.

Likewise, area under turmeric fell to 12,460 ha from 13,520 ha and production to 4,87,40 tonnes from 52,890 tonnes. This shows an identical fall of 7.8 per cent in area as well as output. The depressing performance is attributed to fall in coverage and production inmost states.

Andhra Pradesh, the largest producer of turmeric, made a sharp decline of 19 per cent in output and 4 per cent in area. For instance, production came down to 27,300 tonnes from 29200 tonnes while area under turmeric dropped to 4800 ha from 5200 ha.

Similarly, Tamil Nadu, which accounted for 17.2 per cent of the total production of turmeric during 1997-98, reported a drop of 8.3 per cent to 8370 tonnes from 9200 tonnes. Except a few States, such as West Bengal, most of the States, including Karnataka and Orissa recorded a declining trend.

As for coriander, area rose to 52160 ha from 45270 ha, representing an increase of 15.2 per cent while production improved to 30810 tonnes from 25,550 tonnes, showing a marked rise of 20.6 per cent. This was mainly contributed by Rajasthan whose area under the crop climbed by 75.5 per cent to 23,260 ha from 15,710 ha while production reached 21,490 tonnes as against 15,480 in 1996-97, thus representing an increase of 60.1 per cent. Area under garlic toomade an increase of 4.2 per cent to 9850 ha from 9430 ha and production by 6 per cent to 46,400 tonnes from 43,790 tonnes. This is mainly due to increase in area as well as production in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.