Spices Board Urges Auction Firms to Ensure Proper Cardamom Moisture Levels

Quick Summary

• The Spices Board has instructed cardamom auction companies to ensure proper moisture levels (maximum 9%) are maintained in dried cardamom capsules arriving for auction.
• A notice was issued to registered auction companies after reports of excessive moisture in cardamom capsules surfaced.
• Freshly harvested cardamom, with 70-85% initial moisture, should be cured and dried for at least 18-24 hours to achieve the recommended level, as per Multi Commodity Exchange of India standards.
• Improper drying can result in color fading within two or three months, fungal infections, reduced shelf-life, and lower market/export value.
• stany pothen, chairperson of the Cardamom Planters Federation, emphasized that improper practices like inadequate drying and using artificial colors harm quality and market perceptions. he suggested routine inspections by the Spices Board and FSSAI to counter malpractice.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The directive from the Spices Board highlights a critical step toward maintaining quality control in India’s vital spice export industry. Cardamom is a high-value crop with significant domestic consumption and export potential; thus attention to its processing standards can have far-reaching implications for both producers’ livelihoods and India’s trade reputation globally. Compliance with these directives will likely help secure better pricing consistency while ensuring consumer trust in product integrity domestically and abroad.

However, enforcing such measures may strain smaller farmers without adequate training or resources for improved drying processes; thus accompanying support systems might be necessary from agricultural stakeholders or government entities. Additionally, proactive inspections by authorities like FSSAI could underscore transparency while mitigating risks tied to malpractice.

Read more: Published – the Hindu