Kudampuli variety · Regional type
Wayanad type / Wayanadan Kudampuli
Also known as Regional landrace—Wayanad hills selection
Wayanad district, Kerala (Chembra, Vellarimala hills) · Farmer selection and maintenance over generations · Pre-recorded; traditional cultivation extending back 19th–20th century
Distinctive sourness with subtle fruity and smoky undertones prized in traditional Kerala fish curries and Coorg cuisine. Superior flavour profile relative to coastal lowland types. Harvested from both cultivated plots and forest margins.
Key facts
| Type | Regional type |
|---|---|
| Origin | Wayanad district, Kerala (Chembra, Vellarimala hills) |
| Breeder / source | Farmer selection and maintenance over generations |
| Year released | Pre-recorded; traditional cultivation extending back 19th–20th century |
| Parentage | Seedling-derived populations in semi-wild state within forest reserves and farm boundaries |
| Yield | Reported yields around 60–100 kg dry rind per mature tree per season in farmers' records; exact figures variable by clone and management |
| Tolerance | Adapted to high rainfall (>3000 mm annual), frequent mist, lateritic soils. Pest and disease tolerance not formally evaluated. |
| Distinctive features | Strong, tangy, distinctly fruity aroma when dry; medium fruit size (50–80 g); rind thickness 2–3 mm; natural drying superior for preservation |
| Grown in | Wayanad district; Chembra and Vellarimala forest regions, Kerala (600–1200 m elevation) |
| Also known as | Regional landrace—Wayanad hills selection |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Wayanad type / Wayanadan Kudampuli in detail
The Wayanad landrace is prized for a distinctly tangy, fruit-forward sourness with subtle smoky undertones, valued in Kerala fish curries and traditional Coorg dishes for the complexity it brings.
Origin & story
Wayanad's Kudampuli has been maintained by farming families across the Chembra and Vellarimala hills for generations, part of the wider Western Ghats Garcinia population native to the region. It is farmer-selected material perpetuated through seed and local trade rather than formal breeding or registration.
How it grows
Kudampuli grows in the warm, high-rainfall conditions of the Wayanad hills. Trees are raised both in cultivated plots and along forest margins, and growers commonly use grafted plants, which bear earlier than seedlings and help secure fruit-bearing (female) trees. Fruit is picked once ripe and dried promptly to preserve the rind.
Quality & character
Medium fruit (about 50-80 g) with deep vertical grooves; green to pale yellow when fresh, turning dark brown to black when dried, traditionally over wood smoke. Rind thickness is around 2-3 mm. When dry it carries a strong, tangy, distinctly fruity aroma with a smoky note, fuller and rounder than the sharp brightness of lime or the flat acidity of tamarind.
Why it matters to buyers
Wayanad-sourced Kudampuli is favoured by Kerala home cooks and chefs for nadan (village-style) fish curries and Coorg dishes. The sourness sits cleanly with seafood without the harshness of lime, and the fruity, smoky undertone adds depth that coastal lowland types tend to lack. Traders market Wayanad material on its flavour reputation, and naturally dried rinds are valued for keeping quality.
About kudampuli
Kudampuli—the pungent dried fruit rind of Garcinia gummi-gutta—dominates Kerala kitchens and spice markets, but the plant itself remains largely a wild harvest of seedling landraces scattered across the Western Ghats. Unlike black pepper or cardamom, formal improved releases are sparse; most cultivation relies on farmer-selected trees and regional types…
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