Cardamom exports slip by 15 per cent

India, the world's second largest cardamom producer, shipped 1,565 tonnes during the first 11 months of financial year 2007-08, down 15.17 per cent due to high domestic prices and supply crunch.

Prices of cardamom, known as the queen of spices, increased significantly in the domestic market since 2006-07, he said, adding that the average auction price of cardamom doubled to Rs 600 a kg from 2006-07, a board official requesting anonymity said.

Meanwhile, production dipped 13.44 per cent to 9,725 tonnes in the comparable period due to unfavourable climatic conditions in the growing regions, the official added.

"The export fall was witnessed both in small and large varieties of cardamom," he said, adding the overseas sale of the spice of small variety dipped 35 per cent to 365 tonnes, while that of the large variety slipped 7 per cent to 1,200 tonnes.

The country exports only 10 per cent of its total output mostly to European countries, like Germany, Netherlands and the UK.

Market experts said rising demand in the domestic market has hit India's cardamom exports which remained the world's largest exporter till 1990.