The delay in harvesting of pepper due to climate change is significantly impacting the spice industry in Kerala and other producing regions.

While areas like Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and Kottayam are seeing some progress in pepper harvesting, other regions are facing setbacks.

The unpredictable weather, including irregular rainfall and adverse climatic conditions, has been damaging pepper crops, particularly in Kerala and Karnataka, leading to a forecasted reduction of 25-30% in production for 2025.

This delay has forced the extraction industry to rely on pepper imports, particularly from Sri Lanka, to meet the domestic demand.

The Indian Pepper Community (IPC) has estimated that domestic consumption of pepper will peak at 1.31 lakh tonnes in 2024, largely driven by increased demand from the spice manufacturing sector.

However, the outlook for 2025 is less optimistic, with the reduced domestic production potentially increasing the need for foreign imports and contributing to a rise in prices.

Karnataka and Kerala remain the dominant contributors to India’s pepper production, with Karnataka accounting for 55% and Kerala 40%.

The ongoing challenges in these states may exacerbate the country’s reliance on international sources to meet growing domestic consumption.