Cardamom Crops Face Strain From Heavy Pesticide Use

Cardamom growers in Keralam are dealing with constant pest pressures driven by rising temperatures and unpredictable weather. Because the plants now flower and fruit nearly all year, farmers face an uninterrupted cycle of pest attacks from thrips, borers, and root grubs.

Research indicates that agricultural producers now apply between 18 and 24 spray rounds each year, utilizing a expanding market of synthetic insecticides, fungicides, and other treatments. Additionally, unlabelled and cheap pesticides entering from neighboring states pose an added risk of flower damage to crops.

To reduce labor costs and protect yields, many cultivators combine up to five or six different formulas into a single tank. Specialists caution that these chemical mixtures can result in unpredictable reactions, potentially lowering effectiveness, damaging plants, or turning toxic depending on weather and dosage conditions.

Runoff in the Cardamom Hills frequently carries these agricultural chemicals beyond targeted areas, while long-term exposure to broad-spectrum sprays harms vital pollinators and natural predators. Experts suggest transitioning toward targeted single-molecule treatments, proper nutrition, and weather-aware pest management to protect both local livelihoods and the regional ecosystem.