Overview
Green cardamom prices spiked dramatically in 2019 due to crop damage in Kerala and Guatemala.
Key Insights for Importers
Green cardamom prices spiked dramatically in 2019 due to crop damage in Kerala and Guatemala.
Specify volatile oil content, moisture %, and ASTA colour value in your Purchase Order — not just grade name. Request an NABL-accredited pesticide residue test (LCMS method, 250+ analytes) before confirming any spice lot for EU or US markets.
India's Export Infrastructure: What Buyers Should Know
India's spice export infrastructure has modernised considerably. The Spice Board of India operates testing laboratories in major spice markets (Kochi, Guntur, Unjha) and provides pre-export quality verification services. Post-harvest technology adoption — mechanical dryers, optical sorters, polyphenol-coated packaging — has dramatically improved the shelf life and contamination profile of Indian spices. For importers, the practical implication is that quality variance between suppliers has widened: the best Indian spice exporters now consistently outperform global benchmarks, while the worst remain a RASFF alert waiting to happen.