Cardamom Price Today
Live wholesale rates by grade — Malabar AGEB 8mm, AGB 7mm, Guatemala, Organic, Black cardamom. Elaichi price Pakistan & India. Live PKR/INR/AED currency converter.
Cardamom price today October 26, 2026 (wholesale USD/kg): Malabar AGEB 8mm = $36.00 · AGB 7mm = $32.00 · Guatemala = $8.60 · Organic = $46.50 · Black cardamom = $18.00. India Spices Board auction (October 22, 2026): ₹3,090/kg avg · max ₹3,756/kg. Pakistan elaichi retail: ₨8,200–₨15,000/kg. Retail is 2–4× higher than wholesale.
🧰 Cardamom Price Tools — Convert, Compare, Check & Track
Cardamom (also searched as elaichi, ilaichi, elakka or cardamon) is trading at record levels this October. The latest Spices Board auctions cleared at around ₹3,090/kg, about +35% higher than a year ago and +69% above January 2026. In dollar terms, export-quality Malabar AGB 7mm is around $32.00/kg wholesale. Below you will find the live buy-timing score, auction-by-auction data and tools to check what you should really be paying.
🎯 Cardamom Buy-Timing Score — Is Today a Good Day to Buy?
How the score works: up to 40 points for price vs the 12-month average, 30 for this month’s harvest seasonality, and 30 for auction sell-through (lower sell-through means demand is easing). Higher = better time to buy. It is an educational heuristic, not financial advice.
🌿 Green Cardamom — Live Prices by Grade
Why do grades differ so much in price? Pod size, volatile-oil content and hand-sorting. On this page Malabar AGEB (8mm+) carries a premium of roughly 12% over AGB (7mm), AGS (6mm) trades about 21% below AGB, and certified organic about 45% above. Guatemala Grade A sits around 77% below AGEB, which is why it dominates everyday chai, baking and biryani buying. Black cardamom (kali elaichi) is a different species and is priced separately.
📈 Cardamom Price Chart — Kerala Auction Average, Apr 2025 – Oct 2026
Monthly values are approximate Spices Board auction averages. USD view converts every month at today’s exchange rate, so treat it as indicative.
🔨 Spices Board Auction Tracker — Kerala Small Cardamom, Latest Trading Days
| Date | Auctioneer | Lots | Sold (t) | Sell-through | Min ₹ | Avg ₹ | Max ₹ | Max vs avg |
|---|
Source: Spices Board India — Daily Auction Price of Small Cardamom. Weighted averages and sell-through are calculated by CardamomNectar from the published lot and quantity data.
How to read the auction table: the average is the volume-weighted price across all lots sold, while the maximum is a premium lot, usually large bold pods. A wide gap between the two signals strong quality premiums. Sell-through is the share of arrived cardamom that actually sold. When it stays very high, buyers are absorbing all supply and prices tend to stay firm; a falling sell-through is an early sign that demand is cooling.
🧮 All Cardamom Grades — Filter, Sort & View in Your Currency
| Grade / Type | Origin | Price | USD/kg | vs AGB 7mm | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading prices… | |||||
🌍 Cardamom Price by Country — Retail Estimates (October 2026)
| Country | Retail est. (local) | USD | Grade typically sold | Notes |
|---|
Retail prices differ widely by country because of import duties, freight, packaging and shop margins, so pods that trade near the auction price in Kerala can cost two to four times more on a supermarket shelf in the US, UK, Canada or Australia.
🇵🇰 Elaichi Price in Pakistan Today
🇬🇹 Guatemala Cardamom Price Today — in Rupees (₹), PKR, Quetzales & per Quintal
Reference wholesale price for Guatemala Grade A. Guatemalan traders usually quote per quintal (100 lb = 45.36 kg). Guatemala accounts for roughly 70% of world supply, so its price sets the floor for everyday-grade cardamom.
Guatemala is the world’s biggest producer and sets the price for everyday green cardamom, while Malabar pods from Kerala are sold on aroma and size. Pakistani and Indian shops usually quote per tola (11.66 g) or per 100 g, so a quick unit check below saves mistakes.
⚖️ 1 Tola Elaichi in Grams — Cardamom Weight & Price-per-Unit Converter
1 tola = 11.66 grams (0.01166 kg) · 1 ounce = 28.35 g · 1 pound = 453.6 g · 1 traditional seer = 933.1 g · 1 maund = 37.32 kg · 1 Guatemalan quintal = 100 lb = 45.36 kg · 1 kg = 85.8 tola.
Weight converter
Price-per-unit converter
💱 Cardamom Price Converter — Any Grade, Any Currency
📦 Bulk Cardamom Price Calculator
| Quantity | Price (USD) | Price (PKR) | Price (INR) | Best For |
|---|
Buying for a shop, restaurant or resale? Bulk orders are priced per kg with a discount that grows with quantity, but freight, duty and packaging can eat the saving, so compare the landed cost and not just the sticker price.
🕵️ Am I Overpaying for Cardamom? — Check Your Price
Retail cardamom is always sold at a markup over wholesale, because of import duty, grading, packaging and the retailer’s margin. As a rule of thumb the checker treats a price within about 20% of the typical country markup as fair. Very cheap offers are worth a second look: they can mean old stock, mixed grades or coloured pods. If the quote is far above the range, buy 200–500g at a South Asian grocery store or compare two online sellers before you commit.
🚢 Cardamom Landed-Cost & Resale-Price Calculator
Defaults are example assumptions, not quotes — replace them with your forwarder’s and customs broker’s figures. Cardamom is classified under HS 0908.31 (neither crushed nor ground); import duty and VAT/GST vary by country, and VAT is often recoverable for registered businesses.
☕ What Does Cardamom Cost per Cup of Chai? — Usage & Savings Calculator
| Grade | Wholesale/month | Per year | vs your grade |
|---|
Grams per use are typical starting points — adjust them to your recipes. Costs are based on wholesale prices; retail will be higher (see the Fair-Price Checker).
At roughly 0.4 g per cup, cardamom adds only a few cents to a cup of chai even at today’s prices, so price swings matter far more when you buy by the kilo than when you cook at home.
🔔 Set a Cardamom Price Alert — We’ll Flag It When You Come Back
💡 Is Now a Good Time to Buy Cardamom? (October 2026)
🏭 Wholesale vs Retail Price — Why the Big Difference?
Direct auction rates from Vandanmedu, Bodinayakanur, and Kumily — the major Kerala cardamom auction centres run by the Spices Board of India (Government of India, Ministry of Commerce). October 22, 2026 auction: avg ₹3,090/kg · max ₹3,756/kg.
Available to importers and bulk traders. Minimum order typically 50–100kg. Pakistan imports primarily via Dubai and Karachi wholesale markets, adding 15–25% to the base price.
Spices Board India Live Auction →What you pay at supermarket, online retailers, or specialty spice shops. Markup covers: import duty, quality grading and sorting, packaging, cold-chain logistics, importer margin, and retailer margin.
Best value tip: South Asian grocery stores (desi stores) charge 30–40% less than supermarkets for the same grade. Buy 250g–500g bags — better freshness than 1kg bags. In Pakistan, Karachi Empress Market and Lahore wholesale markets offer the lowest retail rates.
Best Cardamom Pods to Buy →🌶️ Cardamom vs Other Spices — Price Comparison 2026
Cardamom ranks as the world’s third most expensive spice — after saffron and vanilla. High price reflects: hand-harvesting at exact 75% ripeness; grows only in specific high-altitude tropical zones (Kerala Western Ghats 800–1500m elevation, and Guatemala cloud forests); each plant yields ~1kg/year of dried pods; volatile oil content (6–8% in AGEB grade) determines potency and market price. ICRI & Spices Board research →
Cardamom is usually ranked behind only saffron and vanilla among the world’s costliest spices by weight, which is why a small move at the Kerala auctions soon shows up in shop prices.
📅 Cardamom Price Seasonality — When to Buy & When to Wait
India harvest runs August–February (peak new crop October–December). Prices typically rise April–July when pre-harvest supply tightens — and 2026 followed that pattern (₹2,487 in April → above ₹3,000 by August). Prices normally ease October–December as the new crop enters the auctions; so far in October 2026 averages are still holding around ₹3,030–₹3,250. Guatemala harvests year-round with peak October–March.
📋 Cardamom Price History — April 2025 to October 2026
| Month | India INR/kg (avg) | USD/kg (est.) | vs Prev Month | Market Condition |
|---|
Auction averages move with arrivals, weather and export demand, so one month rarely tells the whole story. Compare the last twelve months before deciding whether today’s rate is high or low for you.
🛒 Where to Buy Cardamom — Best Options by Budget
South Asian Grocery Store
Best value for home use. Fast stock turnover means fresher pods. Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi grocers typically stock Malabar green at 30–40% below supermarket prices. Look for whole pods in small bags — fresher than sealed retail packs.
Amazon & Online Retailers
Wide grade selection. Look for “AGEB” or “Alleppey Green” on the label. Buy 200–500g bags for best freshness. Check harvest date if listed. In Pakistan: GrocerApp, Naheed Online, Pansaar.com offer home delivery.
Specialty Spice Retailers
Burlap & Barrel and The Spice House offer harvest-dated, single-origin transparency. Higher cost but verified provenance. Ideal for serious cooks wanting traceable Malabar AGEB or Guatemala single-estate cardamom.
💰 Best Cardamom for Your Budget & Use Case
| Budget Level | Recommended Grade | Retail Price | Best For | Savings vs Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💸 Budget | Guatemala Grade A | $18–28/kg | Everyday chai, baking, rice dishes | ~75% cheaper |
| 💵 Mid-range | Malabar AGS or AGB 7mm | $55–88/kg | Chai, biryani, all culinary uses | ~20% cheaper |
| 💎 Premium | Malabar AGEB 8mm | $70–110/kg | Premium chai, gifting, specialty coffee | Benchmark |
| 🌱 Organic Budget | Guatemala Organic (FEDECOVERA) | $22–35/kg | Health-conscious, certified organic | ~50% cheaper than India organic |
| ⬛ Savory Only | Black Cardamom (kali elaichi) | $33–52/kg | Biryani, garam masala, curries only | Different product entirely |
For everyday cooking, the cheapest grade that still smells strongly of cardamom is usually the better value. Keep premium bold grades for gifting, desserts and specialty coffee.
🗣️ Cardamom Price Today in Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Urdu & Sinhala
आज इलायची का भाव
আজ এলাচের দাম
ഇന്നത്തെ ഏലയ്ക്ക വില
آج الائچی کا ریٹ
අද එනසාල් මිල
🔬 Data & Methodology — Where These Prices Come From
Measured
Kerala small-cardamom auction results (lots, quantity arrived and sold, minimum, average and maximum price per auction) and large-cardamom market prices from Singtam, Gangtok and Siliguri, all published by the Spices Board of India. Exchange rates come from open.er-api.com.
Converted
USD prices are derived from the INR auction average at the current exchange rate. Grade prices use fixed differentials to Malabar AGB 7mm: AGEB about +12%, AGS about −21% and certified organic about +45%. Guatemala and black cardamom are reference prices, not Spices Board auction lots.
Estimated
Retail prices are wholesale × a typical markup per country, and the buy-timing score is a simple heuristic. Both are guides, not quotes. Auctions run on most weekdays; this page is refreshed when new auction data is published.
❓ Cardamom Price FAQ — October 2026
Explore More on CardamomNectar