How to Source Cardamom From India

Grade green cardamom on capsule size

Green cardamom is graded on capsule size and colour: common grades run 6mm, 7mm, 8mm and AGEB (bold), with larger, greener capsules commanding a premium. Size is a proxy for maturity and appearance. Decide the grade your market values — Gulf buyers often pay up for bold, deep-green capsules — before you shop on price.

Understand auction pricing

Cardamom is auction-priced — there is no fixed list price. Kochi is the historic cardamom auction benchmark, and prices move lot by lot at auction. Any quote is a snapshot, so time your buying and reference the auction rather than treating a number as fixed. Small cardamom is 9% of India’s spice export value in FY2025-26.

Plan air freight for high-value, low-volume

Cardamom is high-value and low-volume, so air freight makes sense from about 100 kg — the same threshold as saffron. Air keeps the green colour fresher and shortens the cash cycle on an expensive product. For larger programmes, sea freight still applies, but the economics of a premium spice often justify air on early orders.

Set the safety and moisture spec

Fix a moisture ceiling to protect colour and prevent mould, and design to destination contaminant limits — aflatoxins and pesticide residues — with testing before shipment. Note that large cardamom is a separate spice from green cardamom, and the Sikkim Large Cardamom GI had lapsed on the 2023 register, so verify any GI claim.

How YouPals helps

YouPals sources cardamom as a desk, not a processor. We set your size grade, shortlist CRES-registered suppliers referenced to the Kochi auction, advise on auction timing and air-versus-sea economics, and coordinate testing before shipment. Pre-shipment QC checks colour, size and moisture against your approved sample.

Frequently asked

Does cardamom have a fixed price?

No. Cardamom is auction-priced, benchmarked at Kochi, and moves lot by lot, so any quote is a snapshot rather than a fixed list price.

When does air freight make sense for cardamom?

From about 100 kg. Cardamom is high-value and low-volume, and air freight preserves the green colour and shortens the cash cycle on early orders.