Green (small) cardamom is one of the most expensive spices in the world, and its price is set almost entirely by how the capsule looks: size, colour and weight. Knowing the grade names lets a buyer compare offers properly and avoid paying a bold price for a medium lot.
How capsules are graded
- Size: the diameter of the capsule in millimetres, sorted over sieves. Bigger capsules hold more seed and look better in a retail pack.
- Colour: deep, even green is the premium; pale, yellowish or bleached capsules sell lower. Colour depends on the variety, on harvesting at the right maturity and on careful curing.
- Litre weight: how many grams a litre of capsules weighs. Heavy capsules are full of seed; light ones are part empty.
- Defects: split, immature, thrips-marked and empty capsules, stated as maximum percentages.
The Alleppey Green grades
| Grade | Name | Typical size | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGEB | Alleppey Green Extra Bold | About 7 mm and above | Premium retail, gifting, Middle East markets |
| AGB | Alleppey Green Bold | About 6 mm and above | Retail packs and food service |
| AGS | Alleppey Green Superior | About 5 mm and above | General trade, blending, grinding |
| Smaller and mixed lots | Often sold by size, such as 4–5 mm, or as "bulk" | Below 5 mm | Grinding, extraction, seeds |
Traders also quote cardamom simply by sieve size — 8 mm, 7.5 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm — and the auction centres of Kerala and Tamil Nadu publish prices that way. The figures above are the sizes commonly quoted for the Agmark grades; write the size, the colour and the litre weight into the contract rather than the grade name alone.
Pods, seeds, powder or extract?
- Whole pods keep their aroma longest, because the husk protects the seeds. Choose them for retail, for tea and for any use where the pod is seen.
- Seeds (decorticated cardamom) save the user the work of husking and are sold to bakeries, confectioners and spice blenders. They lose aroma faster than pods, so buy smaller lots more often.
- Powder is the most convenient and the most fragile form. Ask when it was ground and how it is packed.
- Cardamom oil and oleoresin give a standardised flavour for beverages, dairy, confectionery and bakery premixes, in liquid form or encapsulated for dry mixes.
What to check on an offer
- Size, colour and litre weight, with the permitted percentage of splits and empties.
- Moisture, normally at or below about 10–12 %, and volatile oil, the measure of aroma.
- Whether any colouring has been used: artificial green colour is an adulteration, and a reason to reject.
- Pesticide residues against the limits of your market. Cardamom is a crop where this deserves attention, so ask for a recent report from an accredited laboratory.
- Crop year: the main harvest runs from about August to February, with the best lots from October to December.
Need a specification, a sample Certificate of Analysis or a quotation? Tell us the product, grade and quantity.
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