Budget dashes hope of Idukki’s cardamom farmers

The Kerala Budget presented by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal in the Assembly on Thursday has dashed the hopes of cardamom farmers, a vital sector in the high ranges of Idukki. Despite expectations of special projects and dedicated fund allocations to strengthen the district’s cardamom industry, the crop was not even mentioned by name in the Budget. The omission comes at a difficult time for the sector, which faced a severe drought during the summer of 2024, resulting in massive losses for farmers.

Stany Pothen, a member of the Kerala Plantation Business Advisory Committee, expressed deep concern over the lack of support. “The cardamom sector is a growing industry that generates crores of rupees in GST revenue for the government,” Mr. Pothen said. “With an average of 1.25 lakh acres under cultivation, it is the primary livelihood for thousands of families. We expected new packages for irrigation facilities and crop development, but no such projects were announced.”

However, Mr. Pothen noted that the government’s recently announced KERA project, which provides financial assistance for replanting, is a welcome move. “The sector expected more initiatives of that nature in this Budget,” he added.

₹15 crore for plantation workers

S.B. Prabhakar, a cardamom planter from Pampadumpara, observed that State Budgets generally do not mention plantation crops or allocate specific development funds. He said the Plantation Directorate usually implements various schemes and expressed hope that such initiatives would continue in the coming year. He also welcomed the allocation of ₹15 crore for the renovation and construction of housing for plantation workers under the Cluster Homes scheme.

“We hope this allocation will be increased to ₹50 crore in the coming years for the betterment of plantation workers and their families,” Mr. Prabhakar said.

He also pointed out that ₹15 crore has been allocated for the KERA project, which already has ₹150 crore earmarked for the benefit of small growers in the rubber, coffee, and cardamom sectors. “Irrigation and processing schemes could be implemented under the KERA project,” he added.

Ibrahimkutty Kallar, general secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), alleged that the government has completely excluded the plantation sector. “This Budget reflects how little the government values the district’s farmers,” Mr. Kallar said. “When the United Democratic Front (UDF) returns to power, our Budget will include special projects for the cardamom sector.”

Exports double

Despite the Budget’s silence, the industry continues to show resilience. Supported by the World Bank, the Kerala Climate Resilient Agri-Value Chain Modernisation (KERA) project continues to assist farmers with replanting efforts. Stakeholders also point out that Kerala’s cardamom exports recorded a near double-digit increase in 2025. According to data from the Spices Board of India, 6,827 tonnes of cardamom was exported between April and October 2025, compared to 3,663 tonnes during the same period in 2024. “Considering the current export performance, the cardamom sector expects stronger support from the government,” said a representative of the industry.