With an average increase of Rs 100 to Rs 200 per kilogram in different categories, households and restaurants are feeling the pinch.
The Kerala floods that wreaked havoc across the state have sent prices of spices in the national capital into a tizzy. With an average increase of Rs 100 to Rs 200 per kilogram in different categories, households and restaurants are feeling the pinch.
The two southern states account for nearly 80 per cent of the supply of nutmeg, black pepper, dry ginger prices to the entire country. "Most of the crops and stocks were damaged in the floods," said ML Prasad, former president of India Pepper and Spices Traders Association.
At Khari Baoli, Asia's biggest spice market, aromatic spices like green cardamom, mace (commonly called javitri), nutmeg or jaiphal black pepper, are being sold at 20 per cent more than the rate they were commanding before the floods.
Hari elaichi which had selling price of Rs 1100 per kg, is now priced at Rs 1300 for a kg. At the current princely sum Rs 1700 per kg, as opposed to the earlier rate of Rs 1400, crimson-coloured javitri has also become an expensive commodity.
Wholesalers at Khari Baoli agree that even though continue to do brisk business, prices have gone up due to limited supply. "We have not received any fresh stock in the past ten days or so because of what happened in Kerala.
If we do not receive more merchandise, prices may shoot up by 40-50 per cent," said Shyam Kumar, a wholesale dealer.
Spice traders in Chennai also confirmed a jump in the rates. "In the last two weeks, cardamom, pepper, nutmegs and dry mace have become costlier," said Popat B Jain of BR Traders, a major spices trader in Chennai.
Prakash Namboodri of Kochi-based All India Spices Exporters Forum said the prices should come down in a couple of months as this is not the main harvest time. He said cardamom was not affected much by the flood, adding that the prices have gone up not only because of the supply-demand dynamics alone but "it is a heavily traded commodity".
Homemakers are worried about kitchen budget toppling, so are restaurants serving Indian and Mughlai cuisine.
Noida resident Nidhi Rastogi said, "Black pepper and green cardamom are regularly used spices in my kitchen. Now that they have become so expensive, I will have to replan everything. Imagine having morning chai without elaichi!."
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