Rising demand boosts cardamom sector as harvest gains pace in Idukki
Prices seen range bound on firm export demand as output dips in Guatemala
By V Sajeev Kumar
Surging demand coupled with increased arrivals to auctions has brought cheers to the cardamom sector, even as the picking season in Idukki, a key producing region, goes on in full swing.
Though the incessant rains from May to October dented production by around 15 to 20 per cent, the rise in area and better investments has led to increased arrivals in this season. Given such a situation, the crop could be between 32,000 to 34,000 tonne in this season, S.B.Prabhakar, a cardamom planter said. The North East monsoon is expected to last till December which should contribute to a reasonable late crop, he added.
The prices are
expected to remain in the range of around ₹2,400 to ₹2,700 per kg for
the next 3 to 4 months. Then, the spring showers will dictate movement
of prices. However there is no chance for a major drop in prices anytime
soon, he said.
Rising demand boosts cardamom sector as harvest gains pace in Idukki
Prices seen range bound on firm export demand as output dips in Guatemala
By V Sajeev Kumar
Surging demand coupled with increased arrivals to auctions has brought cheers to the cardamom sector, even as the picking season in Idukki, a key producing region, goes on in full swing.
Though the incessant rains from May to October dented production by around 15 to 20 per cent, the rise in area and better investments has led to increased arrivals in this season. Given such a situation, the crop could be between 32,000 to 34,000 tonne in this season, S.B.Prabhakar, a cardamom planter said. The North East monsoon is expected to last till December which should contribute to a reasonable late crop, he added.
The prices are expected to remain in the range of around ₹2,400 to ₹2,700 per kg for the next 3 to 4 months. Then, the spring showers will dictate movement of prices. However there is no chance for a major drop in prices anytime soon, he said.
The Guatemala production is expected to be only around 16,000 to 20,000 tonne against their normal production of around 45,000 tonne as plants slowly recover from last year’s devastating El Nino drought.
Thus, India has overtaken Guatemala to become the world’s largest producer of cardamom in the last 2 seasons since 1981-82 after a gap of 44 years. This shortfall in production over the past two seasons has created a global deficit and India should be able to export more cardamom in the coming months.
Joseph Sebastain of EcoSpice said there has been a record inflow of cardamom into daily auctions accompanied by a robust export and domestic demand. However, with strong global demand and Guatemala’s limited recovery, India’s cardamom market is expected to remain firm and well-supported in the near term. Although Guatemala’s total cultivation area is about 40 per cent larger than that of India, its productivity remains lower due to the lack of scientific farming practices and professional crop management.
Many growers in the domestic market are now capable of holding back stock, closely observing the global market trends, and releasing produce strategically. Instead of distress sales, most farmers are selling immediately after harvest at favourable prices, ensuring steady cash flow while benefiting from high demand, he added.
According to SKM Dhanavandan, an exporter in Bodinayakkanur, the sector is gearing up for Ramadan 2026 booking and the Gulfood 2026 in January. Global demand, especially from the Gulf, is highly concentrated on grades like 6-7 mm, 7-8 mm and 8mm (superior grade). However, the quantity of small size cardamom, low-value capsules is limited right now due to the nature of the current harvest/season. This scarcity of export-preferred sizes presents a major supply-demand paradox, he said.
To capitalise on this key window and secure large-volume deals, he said a revision and strategic lowering of the average export price ($28-30 per kg) for premium grades is necessary to make Indian cardamom globally competitive.
Published on November 3, 2025
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