At the outset, Cheriyan's two-acre cardamom farm is a thriving green landscape under the cerulean sky. But on closer inspection, you will see the wilted shoots and damaged pods -- byproducts of an erratic weather.
The Malayalam month of Edavam has come to an end without any steady downpour, the dry spell stretching all through the third week of June except for some mild, dwindling drizzles. Plants miss that rich monsoon hue and farmers in Idukki, a district that recorded a large rain deficit of 69% during the June 1-22 period, are bracing for a possible crop failure.
"It's for the first time we are experiencing a nearly dry monsoon while the temperature keeps rising. A delayed or failed monsoon will affect the capsule formation and the yield will dip," says the 67-year-old from Kumily.
