Fortune smiles on spice cultivators

by B.W. Eheliyagoda- Kegalle spl cor.

The soaring prices of spices from mid December paid dividends for cultivators in the Kegalle district.

The demand for cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and other produce including arecanuts grown in the district have helped earn a better income for cultivators.

With the dawn of the New year the high prices offered to these produce has led to competition among traders. A kilogram of cloves fetches Rs. 620 - Rs. 800 and pepper Rs. 300 - Rs. 450. One hundred arecanuts fetch a Rs. 100 - Rs. 150.Rubber prices too have soared. Scrap rubber, Bimpalu and even dried lumps of rubber fetch high prices. This has helped swell the income of small rubber producers in Kegalle.