CHENNAI: Clove production in Tamil Nadu has plummeted by nearly 90 per cent, pushing prices up to Rs 1,000 per kg and dealing a major blow to farmers, according to a report by Daily Thanthi.
Cloves are widely used not only for flavouring in cooking but also in folk medicine. In Tamil Nadu, the crop is cultivated across 750 hectares in Kanyakumari district, particularly in regions along the Western Ghats such as Maramalai, Karumparai, Mahendragiri and Velimalai.
India produces around 1,200 tonnes of cloves annually, with Tamil Nadu contributing nearly 1,000 tonnes. Of this, Kanyakumari district alone accounts for about 800 tonnes.
However, the harvest at the end of last year was not satisfactory. Production dropped to just 10 per cent of normal levels, shocking farmers and triggering a sharp price rise.
With strong domestic demand, cloves are currently not being exported. To meet the shortfall, imports from Indonesia have increased.
At the start of the harvest in December, cloves were priced at Rs 900 per kg. Prices have since risen to Rs 1,000 per kg. Grade 2 cloves are being sold at around Rs 950 per kg, while imported cloves are priced at approximately Rs 800 per kg.