Last of spice traders leaving Mattancherry

Traders move out in search of better infrastructure facilities

Workers inside a pepper godown at Mattancherry. Photo: Thulasi Kakkat

The famed spices streets of Mattancherry have virtually emptied out. More than the passage of time, factors ranging from what traders call the State tax structure tilted against them to the emergence of other trade centres have forced exporters and big businesses out.

The last of the major commodities to have a presence in Mattancherry and nearby areas is pepper. But it is finally following the path taken by commodities such as coir, coconut oil, copra, areca nut, cardamom, mace and nutmeg, which left the shores of the town a long time ago, says a veteran trader. The rising cost of labour is a key reason, he points out, for the recent development. Traders had shifted to places such as Kannamali, south of Chellanam, to cut costs, he says.

The India Pepper and Spice Trade Association is one of the institutional remnants of the passing glory of Mattancherry. Even at the exchange run by the Association, futures volumes are volatile.

The arrival of antiques trade on Mattancherry streets has also helped push up the cost of labour, alleges the trader. The near closure of the water transport system has played its part in making Mattancherry less attractive to traders, who often have to transport produce in large quantities for cleaning and sterilisation. None of the jetties are accessible now and, if accessible, the rental rates are too high, he adds.

N.K.A. Latheef, local historian and social activist who is writing a history of Mattancherry, discounts claims of strong trade unionism as a reason for spice trade moving out of the old town. Growth of infrastructure, better communication and transport facilities are drawing trade out of the old town, he says.

For example, Kalady, Angamaly and Karukutty had emerged as key trade centres for nutmeg and mace. With the railway stations situated nearby, traders find it easy to move produce from farmers in these areas to any of the railway stations nearby.

Erattupetta has emerged as a key centre for nutmegs and cloves. But for pepper traders the pick of the spot has been Muppathadam, near Aluva, says another trader.

The availability of cheap land about a decade ago made the industrial belt attractive to the traders, says a trader, who recalls that when he set up business in Jew Town in the summer of 1980 there were 65 spice dealers in Jew Town. Now there are just about five of them, doing full-time business in spices.