VOLUMES of cardamom traded through Indian auctions have hit a record level in the current season due to a bumper harvest. With the peak harvesting period of India's cardamom coming to an end, picking of the crop is slowing down. According to local estimates, India's output should reach a healthy 13,500 tonnes in 2005/06 from 11,500 tonnes a year earlier. As a result, sales of cardamom through the country's two main auctions in Kerala and Bodinayakannur hit a record 5,469 tonnes between August 1 and January 11, compared with 3,014 tonnes over the same period last year. A further 2,500 tonnes or so have been sold through auctions in Kozhikode and Karnataka... Read More