Clove

Conditions of Growth	It requires humid and warm climatic conditions.
	The soil should be rich loamy soil with high content of humus.
Region	Several states in India mainly the southern part.
Production/ Trade	Indonesia is the largest producer with 80% of the total production.

Cloves belong to the family of Myrtaceae. It is an aromatic flower bud which belongs to the family of syzygiumaromaticum which is native to the islands of Maluku in Indonesia. It is mainly used as a spice and is harvested in several places like India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Zanzibar, Tanzania and Madagascar.

The tree of the clove is an evergreen tree with a height of 8- 12 m, it has large leaves and the flowers are grouped in clusters. They are harvested at a height of 1.5 – 2 cm and there is a calyx spreading from its sepals with four petals which are unopened with a small ball at the center.

The clove word has been derived from the ‘clou’ word meaning nail. It is used in various cuisines in the form of spices in the entire world having its origin in India. Apart from its usefulness as a spice in dishes, it is a very good herb for medicinal purposes and other therapeutic purposes in many industries.

It is a very ancient spice used for the purpose of international trade. It was first introduced by East India Company in 1800 AD in the spice garden of Courtallam in Tamil Nadu. The cloves cultivation was further increased to the areas of Nilgiris, Western Ghats and Travancore state after the time period of 1850 AD.

Cloves Production in India

Syzygiumaromaticum is clove’s botanical name. The clove is traded in India in the dried form and unopened buds of the flower. It grows in a humid climatic condition in all parts of the world except in the belts of coastal sand areas. Kerala’s red soils and Western Ghats hilly tracts are very suitable for its cultivation.

The origin of clove plantation has been obtained from Mauritius. It is propagated using seeds which are obtained from ripened fruit. It contains eugenol which is in the clove oil used to reduce dental pains. The clove oil is very safe to use and apply on the skins. However, continuous use of clove oil causes gums damage in mouth along with damage to the tooth pulp, skin and mucous membranes.

Methods of Growing Clove

The seeds of clove are sowed in loamy soil and the seed is propagated for commercial purposes. The seeds are gathered from the mother tress and later, they are sowed the entire night and the pericarp of the seeds before sowing is removed. There is another method of propagation known as approach grafting which is very successful.

Cloves require partial shade and it grows well if grown at elevations which are higher and have well-distributed rain in the area. Under the climatic conditions in India, coconut, nut gardens or coffee estates are best suited for their growth.

For the initial 3- 4 years, irrigation is very necessary. The trees start flowering from the fourth year if good conditions are provided. But its only after 15 years, the stage of full bearing is reached. The buds when turned pink are harvested. The buds of the flowers are separated by drying using hands. The weight of the dried cloves is one-third of the original weight. In one kilogram of cloves, there are around 11000- 15000 of the dried cloves.

Cloves Growing States in India and Best Season

The southern part of India produces maximum quantities of cloves and most of its production is consumed domestically only. The major states producing cloves are Kozhikode, Kollam and Kottayam in Tamil Nadu, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and South Kanara in Karnataka. Out of the estimates of the 1988-89, 1855 hectares of the total land was under the cultivation of clove in India.

The ideal season and time of plantation is during the onset of the monsoons of South-West which is during the months of June-July. The months of September – October are the seasons for flowering in the plains and at very high altitudes, December – January months are suitable.

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