Pesticide use in Indian cardamom needs change in cultivation practices

Abstract

Indian cardamom farming in the Cardamom Hill Reserves of Kerala has been considered one of the costliest production systems. Questionnaire survey and interviews with cardamom planters between 2008 and 2013 showed that the pesticides used in cardamom production is paradoxical. The reasons are closely associated with the unscrupulous use of pesticides which wiped out the natural enemies of pests and inefficacies of pesticides that led to dose enhancement. Climatic changes along with forest degradation and removal of shade have played a considerable role for increased pesticide consumption. The current perilous situation needs critical thinking to evolve pesticide reduction strategies.