Kerala's plantation sector faces mixed fortunes as rubber, coffee prices rise but tea, cardamom struggle

Kerala's plantation sector is experiencing divergent market conditions, with rubber and coffee prices rising while tea and cardamom production faces mounting pressure from climate challenges and trade disruptions, according to the All Kerala Planters Association chairman.

The state's key agricultural exports are being squeezed between unfavorable weather patterns and global trade volatility. While higher rubber and coffee prices provide some relief to farmers in those segments, producers of tea and cardamom—traditional mainstays of Kerala's plantation economy—are contending with reduced yields and market uncertainty.