GUATEMALAN cardamom prices have continued to escalate over recent weeks as ongoing demand from the key Middle East market has exerted further pressure on this season's much tighter availability. According to trade estimates, Guatemala's 2008/09 crop is down to around 16,000 tonnes from normal output of 23,000 tonnes. This is said to be the result of much lower plantings as farmers have switched to more lucrative crops. However, one Rotterdam spice trader said that while a lack of offers from origin supports the claim that this season's output is lower, there was no hard evidence confirming that this was down to a decline in plantings. The trader claimed that the assertion that farmers have moved to other crops is a convenient "story" which is overused across the spices sector... Read More