Incessant rains in the Wayanad region has damaged pepper crop with production likely to drop by 20-40% from last year, government sources told FE.
The state agricultural department estimates the 2007-08 pepper crop in the district to be between 15,000-20,000 tonne. The department puts the 2006-07 output from the Wayanad district at 25,000 tonne from a total production of 50,000 tonne.
However, the Pepper Task Force, comprising officials of the Spices Board, exporting firms and traders have put the new crop from India at 50,000 tonne, the same as last year.
Untimely and continuous downpour in the month of September has damaged much of the pepper vines, with flowers and stem getting decomposed in the water logging, The District Agricultural Officer of Wayanad, Ashok Thekkan told FE.
Pepper crop needs a respite from heavy and continuous rains and usually in September, there is a small dry period before the onset of the northeast monsoon.
