Cardamom Export from India: The Queen of Spices and Its Global Market

Seair Exim Solutions
3 min readJun 18, 2024

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Cardamom, often referred to as the king of spices, is an herb known for its pleasant smell and spicy taste. It is used extensively as a spice and a flavoring ingredient in cooking all over the globe. It is a popular ingredient in Saudi Arabia. It is predominantly used to make gahwa, which is a traditional coffee. In addition to beverages, cardamom enhances baked goodies chewing gum, curry paste, and alcohol-based drinks such as bitters and Gin. The numerous health benefits of cardamom drive its popularity and high consumption. India is the world’s largest producer of green cardamom. Predominantly shipping it to the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Domestic Production and Consumption

India, along with Guatemala, produces roughly the same amount of cardamom produced domestically. But India’s high consumption of its products affects its export surplus. This blog will go into the cardamom export figures from India, the top cardamom exporters, the HSN code, and up-to-date export statistics.

Why is Cardamom Called the Queen of Spices?

Cardamom, also known as ela, has earned itself the designation of “queen of spices” due to its important contribution to the spice trade of the past, along with black pepper, the “king of spices.” A popular ingredient in Indian food and tea, cardamom is a common ingredient in Ayurveda, an ancient Indian medicine. Its medicinal properties and capacity to improve the taste and aroma of many meals and beverages contribute to its acclaim as a spice.

Leading Cardamom Producers

Cardamom flourishes in tropical areas. Guatemala is the most prolific producer, followed by India. The production of cardamom worldwide is about 35,000 metric tonnes annually.

The list of cardamom producing countries:

  • Guatemala- 17,500 Tons
  • India- 8,000 Tons
  • Sri Lanka- 4,000 Tons
  • Nepal- 2,000 Tons
  • Costa Rica- 1,500 Tons

Cardamom Export from India (2023–24)

The cardamom export from India is crucial for the value of its trade. Based on recent research:

  • Total Shipments: 79.5k
  • Global Rank: 1
  • Number of Exporters: 3,433
  • Number of Buyers: 11,220
  • HSN Codes: 0908, 090832, 09083220

By 2023, India had traded cardamom for $155.1 million, significantly contributing to the spice trade and overall exports. The top importers are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, the USA, Canada, the UK, and Japan. The cardamom trade industry is a source of employment in Indian states such as Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, involving farmers, workers, and export experts.

Cardamom HSN Codes

HSN codes categorize products used in international trade, ensuring smooth transactions. Cardamom is part of chapter 09 and covers coffee, tea, mate, and spices:

  • Nutmeg, mace & cardamoms: 0908
  • Ground or crushed 090832
  • Seeds for small cardamom 09083220
  • Cardamom Husk: 09083230

Leading Cardamom Exporters in India

India is a major participant in the export of cardamom. Here are some of the most prominent cardamom exporters in India:

  1. Adani Spices
  2. Royal Spices
  3. PR Exports
  4. Patel Export Industries
  5. Zoff Spices
  6. Abbay Trading Group
  7. PRM Enterprises
  8. Agro Trade
  9. Kesco Organics Exports
  10. AG Industries

Top Cardamom Exporting Countries (2023–24)

2023–24, the global cardamom exports totaled approximately $765 million. Guatemala was the top exporter, followed by India, Indonesia, Nepal, and the Netherlands. These countries contributed 92.5 percent of the total exports of cardamom.

  1. Guatemala
  2. India
  3. Indonesia
  4. Nepal
  5. Netherlands
  6. Singapore
  7. Germany
  8. Vietnam
  9. Honduras
  10. United Kingdom

Also read: Spice export from India

Top Cardamom Importing Countries

Demand for the spice cardamom is growing all over the world. These are some of the most popular importer countries:

  1. United Arab Emirates
  2. Saudi Arabia
  3. China
  4. India
  5. Bangladesh
  6. Egypt
  7. United States
  8. Jordan
  9. Pakistan
  10. Kuwait

Finding Cardamom Buyers

Seair Exim Solutions offers an extensive dashboard driven by data to identify current buyers, exporters, and HSN codes to determine the top cardamom buyer.

Conclusion

Cardamom is a key ingredient in the Indian spice export market. Despite being second in the world’s top producers, India lags behind Guatemala regarding production and exports. Using cardamom export data can be an advantage in strategic planning by providing insight into trends in the market competition and potential buyers. For complete export data and market research, go to Seair Exim Solutions.

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Seair Exim Solutions
Seair Exim Solutions

Written by Seair Exim Solutions

Seair Exim Solutions is a dashboard that provides export-import data for more than 100+ nations. We help you get buyers based in any location for your product.

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