Where Indian spices come from
Three of these markets set world price — Unjha for cumin, Guntur for chilli, Kochi for pepper. The rest define grade.
- Unjha
The Gujarat mandi that prices the world’s cumin every morning — and India’s largest seed-spice market.
- Guntur
Asia’s largest chilli market — where the world red-chilli price and the Sannam S4 grade are set.
- Byadgi
The Karnataka town whose name is a colour grade — Byadgi chilli is bought for ASTA colour, not heat.
- Kochi (Cochin)
The five-century spice port — still the benchmark auction centre for Indian pepper and cardamom.
- Idukki
The Kerala cardamom hills — the core growing district behind India’s green-cardamom auctions.
- Erode
"Turmeric City" — the Tamil Nadu trading and GI hub for Erode Manjal turmeric.
- Nizamabad
The Telangana bulb-turmeric belt — high volume at lower curcumin than the southern fingers.
- Sangli
Historically India’s largest turmeric trading market, and a GI origin in its own right.
- Kota
The Rajasthan coriander belt — "Kota dhania" is a recognised trade origin for the seed.