Small Cardamom Farming in India 2026
The queen of spices, a fragrant green pod grown under shade in the Western Ghats.
Overview
Small cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum, is often called the queen of spices for its sweet, intense aroma and high value. It is a shade loving perennial native to the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, and India produces it mainly in the Cardamom Hills of Idukki in Kerala, the adjoining hills of Tamil Nadu and parts of Karnataka. The crop is grown under the canopy of forest trees on cool, humid hill slopes and needs steady moisture. India was once the world's top producer but now competes closely with Guatemala in global trade, while remaining a major consumer. Prices are set largely through the Spices Board e-auctions at centres like Puttady in Idukki, and they can be quite high in good seasons. Climate stress, heat and erratic rain have pressured yields in recent years, so shade management, irrigation and good varieties are increasingly important.
Climate
Small cardamom needs a warm, humid climate with temperatures roughly between 10 and 35 degrees Celsius, abundant well distributed rainfall of about 1500 to 4000 millimetres and partial shade, at altitudes of around 600 to 1500 metres. It dislikes direct strong sun, drought and stagnant water. Cool, misty hill conditions with steady moisture give the best growth and pod quality.
Soil
It grows best on deep, well drained, humus rich forest loams, usually acidic with pH around 5 to 6.5. The shallow feeding roots need a cool, moist, organic top layer, so leaf litter and mulch are valuable. Slopes with good drainage suit it, while heavy, waterlogged or eroded soils reduce growth and invite root disease.
Planting & Spacing
Small cardamom is propagated from suckers of healthy clumps or from seedlings raised in nurseries. Planting is done in pits on shaded slopes, usually at the start of the monsoon, at spacing of about 2 by 2 metres, with the right level of forest shade retained overhead. Mulching and shade regulation help the young plants establish. Economic bearing usually starts from the third year.
Varieties
Three main types are recognised: Malabar, which is dwarf with prostrate panicles, Mysore, which is tall with erect panicles, and the popular Vazhukka, a natural hybrid of the two. Improved high yielding selections such as Njallani Green Gold and varieties released by IISR and research stations are widely grown. Choosing a variety suited to the altitude, shade and rainfall of the site is important for steady yields.
Care & Management
Care includes regulating shade so plants get filtered light, regular weeding, mulching, trashing of old shoots and balanced manuring. Irrigation through sprinklers or drip in dry months has become important as summers get hotter. Replanting old, low yielding clumps every several years keeps productivity up. Maintaining cool, moist, well drained conditions is the key to healthy clumps.
Pests & Diseases
The most damaging problem is the cardamom mosaic or katte virus, spread by aphids, along with thrips that scar the pods, shoot and capsule borers, and root grubs. Rhizome rot and clump rot occur in wet, poorly drained soils. Management relies on virus free suckers, prompt removal of infected clumps, control of aphids and thrips, good drainage and integrated practices recommended by IISR and the Spices Board.
Yield & Harvest
Capsules are picked when nearly mature and still green, in several rounds usually from around August to February, with peak picking in the cooler months. Frequent picking at the right stage preserves the prized green colour. The pods are then dried carefully, often in flue or electric dryers, to retain colour and aroma. Reported average yields are commonly a few hundred kilograms of dry cardamom per hectare, with well managed high yielding plots doing considerably better.
Cost & Profit
Small cardamom is high value, with Spices Board e-auction prices often running into a few thousand rupees per kilogram and rising further when supply is tight, though rates fluctuate strongly with crop size and demand. Returns build from the third year and depend heavily on yield, green colour and bold grade. Use these as broad indications and check live auction prices at Spices Board centres before making decisions.
These are indicative ranges. Actual cost and income vary by region, market and management, so verify locally.
Market & Demand
Small cardamom is sold mainly through Spices Board licensed e-auctions at centres like Puttady, where graded lots are bought by dealers and exporters. Bold, well dried, deep green capsules fetch the best prices. India both exports and consumes large quantities, and good post harvest drying and grading strongly influence what a farmer earns.
Subsidy & Support
The Spices Board runs cardamom productivity and replanting schemes, supports improved dryers and irrigation, and operates the e-auction system that gives farmers transparent prices. State horticulture missions in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also assist with planting material and infrastructure. Confirm current subsidy details with the Spices Board and your state department.
Where to grow it in India
Frequently asked questions
How are cardamom prices decided?
Why does cardamom need shade?
What is katte disease in cardamom?
When does small cardamom start yielding?
How is the green colour of cardamom kept?
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