POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY AND CROP CALENDAR FOR LARGE CARDAMOM (AMOMUM SUBULATUM ROXB.)

A.K. VIJAYAN¹*, K.A. SAJU², B.A. GUDADE³, A. VALLATH⁴, V.M. ESWARAN⁵, M. OOMMEN⁶, P.V. DIVYA⁷, M. KUNJUMON^8
1Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
²Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
³Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
⁴Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
⁵Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
⁶Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
⁷Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
⁸Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
* Corresponding Author : drvijayannambiar@gmail.com

Received : 03-09-2019     Accepted : 26-09-2019     Published : 30-09-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 18       Pages : 9098 - 9101
Int J Agr Sci 11.18 (2019):9098-9101

Keywords : Capsules, Curing, Grading, Harvest, Maturity, Natural Colour, Sustainable Agriculture, Traditional Bhatti
Academic Editor : Ali Jabbar
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors thankful to Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India), Myladumpara, Idukki, 685 553, Kerala, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Large cardamom was harvested when the seeds of top most capsules turn brown. As soon as the said colour appears and to enhance maturity bearing tillers were cut at a height of 30 – 40 cm from ground and left for another 10-15 days for full maturity. The spikes were harvested by using special knives known as “Cardamom-knife” (Elaichi chhuri). Harvesting begins early in the lower altitudes, during August-September and was as late as November-December at higher altitudes. The average yield was 400 kg/ha under organic cultivation. The quality of large cardamom was governed by its external appearance, which was influenced by colour, uniformity of size, shape, consistency and texture and flavour, which ascertains taste and odour and was affected by composition of aromatic compounds. Appearance provides a visual perception of co-uniformity in size, shape, consistency. Cardamom was cured (i.e., dehydration of the fruits over low sustained heat) in a curing furnace, the heat invariably coming from burning of wood fuel. Traditionally, locally made furnace, the “Bhatti”, crude and primitive in operation, was a stone-mud structure, cheap to erect and moderately efficient where capsules are dried by direct heating. Considerable loss of quality characteristics is seen with the bhatties, yet, they are common in the entire cardamom belt. The colour of the capsules turned to black due to direct heating and smoke. Improved curing techniques were available in which cardamom is processed to give quality and appearance. One such method was ICRI Bhatti curing system developed by Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Tadong were cardamom was dried through indirect heating. The system was available in 200 and 400 kg (fresh capsules capacities, cost was estimated as Rs. 48,000/- and 70,000/-, respectively. This Bhatti had been popularized by the Spices Board Regional Office at Gangtok and Zonal Offices in Sikkim and Kalimpong in West Bengal through subsidized development scheme. In this cardamom was dried by indirect heating at 50-55°C. Curing was done till moisture content of the produce was brought down to 10-12 percent and gives metallic sound while shuffling. Farmers were not used to do any grading but in practice there were two grades used to mention chota dana and bada dana. Grading was mainly done by the trader for their marketing purpose. Trader use different sieves to grade their produce which was not having any uniformity. Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Regional Station, Tadong, Spices Board developed four sieve standardizing the grades for large cardamom. Accordingly, five grades of large cardamom based on sieves size were standardized. The properly dried capsules should be allowed to cool and then packed in polythene lined jute bags. The bags may be stored on wooden platform away from sidewall to avoid absorption of moisture and thereby to avoid fungal growth on the stored produce. The marketing of large cardamom was controlled by traders. Around 10 % of the large cardamom was exported. Major importing countries include Pakistan and several countries of Middle East Asia. A crop calendar was also worked out under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Harvesting, curing, grading, packaging and marketing aspect of large cardamom is presented in this paper.

1. Vijayan A.K., Leela N.K., Dhanalakshmi M., Akshitha H.J., Rahul R., Utpala P. and Babu K.N. (2017) J. Spices and Aromatic Crops, 26(1), 37-43.
2. Vijayan A.K. and Remashree A.B (2018) Large cardamom guide. Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development, Calicut, 4-37.
3. Vijayan A.K., Saju K.A., Dhanapal K., Eswaran V.M., Vallath A., Pandithurai G., Manoj Oommen, Divya P.V., Kunjumon Manesh (2019) Int J Agr Sci, 11(15), 8876-8880.
4. Vijayan A.K., Gudade B.A., Eswaran V.M., Vallath A., Pandithurai G., Sindhu R., Oommen Manoj, Kunjumon Manesh (2019) Int J Agr Sci, 11(6), 8115-8117.