The Spices Board is taking a firm stand: any cardamom auction company that fails to pay growers within ten days of an auction will have its license revoked. This strong warning came from Spices Board Chairperson Sangeetha Viswanathan during a Cardamom Planters Federation (CPF) meeting in Nedumkandam. She highlighted that two companies have already lost their licenses for late payments, underscoring the Board’s commitment to addressing these issues seriously.
Sources within the Spices Board confirmed the recent cancellations, stating that the Board is dedicated to enforcing strict penalties against companies violating cardamom auction regulations to ensure fairness for growers.
Currently, 16 auction companies are involved in the Spices Board’s cardamom e-auction system.
During the same meeting, Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose announced plans to advocate for an increase in cardamom import prices. Additionally, the ongoing Supreme Court case concerning the Cardamom Hills Reserve (CHR) was a major point of discussion, with growers expressing significant apprehension. Organizers reported that the Spices Board chairperson pledged to support the growers by facilitating intervention from both central and state governments in the CHR case and even offering to cover the associated legal costs.
The meeting was chaired by Stany Pothen, Chairperson of the Cardamom Planters Federation, and saw the attendance of notable figures including Udumbanchola MLA M.M. Mani and CPF Secretary P.R. Santhosh.