There are a few things to keep in mind whilst looking to buy or lease a cardamom plantation. These are not Greek or Latin, but a few criteria which are to be looked for and which has been arrived at as a result of years of experience in Cardamom planting, by our forefathers.
Zones, Which do i go for?
Given a choice, go for the areas classified as Zone A. Let's get to know what Zones are. The Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) area has been classified as Zone A, B & C - by the Income Tax Authorities as well as the Spices Board.
ZONE - A
Places within Kattappana, Anavilasam, Anakkara, Ayyappankoil, Chakkupallam, Vandanmedu, Peerumedu, Mlappara, Periyar, Manjumala & Kumili villages are classified as Zone A
Zone - B
Places within Santhanpara, Rajakkad, Bison Valley, Upputhode, Kalkoonthal, Parathode & Kanthippara villages are classified as Zone - B
Zone - C
All other areas where cardamom is grown currently are classified as Zone - C
Why is there a Zone Classification ?
The places within Zone A, are supposedly falling within the most ideal climatic and geographical conditions favourable for growing cardamom.
The next ideal climatic & geographic conditions for planting cardamom are found in Zone B
Zone C are places where the climatic and geographic conditions are not favourable for a profitable cultivation of the crop.
Does it mean i can buy land eyes folded in Zone A?
It basically means that the chances of finding an ideal land within Zone A is above 90%. i.e. if you find a block of hundred acres land, the chances are that, not less than 90% of the said land will be ideal for cultivation of cardamom.
The caveat is that, while going for small piece of land, say 10 acres, you need to make sure that atleast 9 acres of the land is ideal and well suited for raising the crop. The chances are that, the land was earlier a part of a bigger block and that it was not good enough for profitable cultivation of cardamom and hence it was sold ; so - be aware of the possibility.
So, extreme caution and inspection of the entire block of land is required before making a decision to purchase the land.
Features to look for in that ideal land
A few things to keep in mind while assessing a new plantation ( please remember, this is not an exhaustive and complete list; these are compilations of a few wise things passed on for generations - the ultimate judge in any decision is YOU.)
- Terrain : Ideally, the terrain should be a gentle slope. The rain water shouldn't completely wash out, whereas, excess rain water should drain out of the land as well. Steep areas have the disadvantage of drainage of top soil and thereby loss of fertility. Excessive rocks are also not ideal for a good plantation.
Medium Steep Terrain
- Gegraphical Direction of the land : By direction, i mean, whether it faces North / South / East or West. The ideal direction for a cardamom plantation is North, North-East, East. The logic behind this is, while facing North or East or in between, the land doesn't receive excessive heat from direct sunlight. The land tends to retain the moisture in top soil. The micro climate that forms within the plantations in this direction are best suited for cardamom plantation. The West direction in the Western Ghat regions brings the direct sunlight post noon and thereby, loss of moisture and tendency of plants to dry up if not irrigated properly. The west direction also brings in the monsoon winds - which may uproot shade trees, plants and may even tear the leaves of the plants during early June to late August.
Ideal Slope & Direction
- Soil Type : The ideal soil is loamy, loose soil rich in minerals formed as a result of mulching. Clay rich soil retains excessive water during monsoon and results in rot decease. Take a handful of soil, examine the texture and colour; if the prominent colour of the soil is whitish to yellowish - move on, find another land. Look also for translucent stones (vellaram kallu in Malayalam), this is a sure sign on weak soil structure.
- Access to land : Eventhough this has an inverse relationship with the price of the land, i would still recommend paying that extra money and getting a land with tar road access. This will eventually save you loads of money. The cardamom cultivation is very intense and requires the planter to transport huge amount of materials to and from the plantation. So the easier the access, the lesser the cost and trouble in transportation.
