Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Harvesting and yield

• Though clove trees flower from 4-6 years of their planting, the trees generally start bearing an economic yield 18-20 years from the time of planting and the production continues for 80 years or more. The bearing between the years varies quite a lot and a bumper crop can only be expected about once every 4 years, being influenced by the weather and the previous crop load. The flowering season varies from September-October in the plains to December-January at high altitudes.
• Cloves, which are the unopened flower buds, are produced on the terminal shoots of the twigs. The buds are collected when they are dull red or pink in colour and less than 2 cm long. The inflorescence is harvested without damaging the branches when the buds have reached their full size, but before they open, so that the petals together with the stamens inside form the head of the dried clove. Delayed picking, i.e., after the opening of the buds, will devalue the spice.
• The yield of cloves is found to vary from year to year. The average yield at Burliar is 2 kg per tree (500 kg/ha) per year. But, there are individual trees which are reported to give 8-10 kg in some years. In comparison, the average yield in Zanzibar from a well-grown bearing tree is reported to be very high (40 kg/year). Yields upto 80 kg/tree/ year have also been recorded. About 11,000-15,000 dried cloves weigh one kilogram.
• Cloves are normally packed in double jet sacks of 50-60 kg capacity each.