Small cardamom prices showed a steady trend at the auctions held in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
At the Cardamom Planters Association (CPA auction held in Bodinayakannur on Monday, of the 33 tonnes arrived 32 tonnes were traded. The maximum price was at ₹1,234 a kg. The auction average stood at ₹941.41 (₹929.54).
Total arrivals decreased last week to 502 tonnes from 814 tonnes the week before. Harvesting in almost 50 per cent of the estates is over and the picking in the remaining will be over by next month end. Therefore, arrivals are expected to narrow down, said PC Punnoose, General Manager, CPMC.
A slow-down in buying was felt in the market following severe cold wave conditions prevailing in the upcountry markets, he said.
The individual auction average has slipped to ₹948.63 a kg from ₹954.15 a kg the previous week. The auction average vacillated between ₹929 and ₹970 a kg last week.
Total arrivals during the current season as on January 20 were at 15,395 tonnes and sales were at 15,072 tonnes. The individual auction average of the season was at ₹958.85/kg.
Prices of graded varieties (₹/kg): 8mm green bold 1,250-1,300; 7-8 mm: 1,000; 6-7 mm: 930 -940. Good bulk was being traded at ₹1,000 a kg.