Guatemala quake lifts cardamom prices

Kerala's cardamom growers have reason to cheer. Reports of an earthquake damaging cardamom plantations in Guatemala have pushed the commodity's price in the Futures market this week.

Cardamom hit the upper circuit with reports of the earthquake in Guatemala, a major producer. At MCX cardamom near-month contract closed at Rs 468 per kg against the previous close of Rs 449.

Other commodities also bounced back after falling in the past two days. Jeera closed up by 2 per cent at Rs 13,732 per quintal, registering a volume of Rs 688 crore (Rs 6.88 billion) on

NCDEX. Pepper was up by over 1 per cent at Rs 13,518 per quintal trading a volume of Rs 382 crore (Rs 3.82 billion).

A total volume of Rs 2,576 crore was registered on NCDEX with active trades in jeera, pepper, guar seed, soya oil and gold. Refined soya oil closed up at Rs 481.25 per 10 kg against Rs 477.9, trading a volume of 253 crore.

Chana closed up at Rs 2,210, registering a volume of Rs 191 crore (Rs 1.91 billion). Guar seed did a volume of Rs 291 crore (Rs 2.91 billion). It closed up at Rs 1,713 per quintal.