Kanniyakumari Clove, grown in densely wooded areas of the Western Ghats, has been given the Geographical Indication Tag for its high amount of aromatic oil. Spice production in the district is among the best in the state.
About Kanniyakumari Clove:
During the 1800s, the East India Company introduced clove to India through its spice gardens at Courtallam. Blackrock, Maaraamalai, Karumparai, and Vellimalai in the Western Ghats of Veerapuli Reserve Forests and Mahendragiri in Kanyakumari district produce roughly 73 percent of Tamil Nadu’s clove land.
Having been grown at an elevation of 700 meters, the warm and humid climate conditions with well-distributed annual rainfall as well as the rich humus content in the soil greatly influence its colour, shape, dimension, and quality.
The district produces close to 1,000 tonnes of the total 1,100 tonnes of cloves grown in India, of which over 65% is produced in Tamil Nadu.
‘The climate in the hilly areas of Kanniyakumari district is ideal for clove cultivation,’ says collector M. Aravind. During the northeast monsoon, this region enjoys benefits from both monsoons. As well as this, sea mist comes in and provides the necessary moisture for the crop to grow. It is suitable for the cultivation of cloves to have black soil, which contains organic nutrients. These nutrients make the cloves grown in the region unique”.
Clove buds contain a high proportion of volatile oil, making the crop being raised in the district so highly sought-after. Eugenol acetate present in the oil gives the clove buds a more pleasant aroma and taste. In addition, eugenol is improved by using ‘sea mist’.
Although most clove buds contain about 18% volatile oil, the Kanniyakumari clove buds contain 21% volatile oil, resulting in 86% eugenol. In addition, the plantations have moderate temperatures and are located at an altitude of about 800 meters, making drying natural. Aravind says this means there will be little loss of essential oils and they will be concentrated more.
The leaves, flower buds, and stalks are used to make essential oils. Clove buds and oils are also used in the pharmaceutical, medical, and perfumery industries. Clove buds from Kanniyakumari are preferred because they contain higher volatile oils.
With the district administration’s support, the Maaraamalai Planters Association and Blackrock Hill Planters Association worked together to popularize the uniqueness of the Kanniyakumari clove worldwide.
“The GI tag given to the cloves harvested in the district will correctly convey the value of this product to international consumers and traders,” Aravind says.