Black Cardamom
Black cardamom is the dried fruit capsule of Amomum subulatum and related Amomum species, a tall perennial of the ginger family grown on shaded hill slopes across the eastern Himalaya and mainland Southeast Asia. The capsule is larger, coarser and darker than green cardamom, and is traditionally dried over open fire, which leaves a distinct smoky, resinous aroma. It is used whole in braises, biryanis, pho broths and spice blends, is a component of Chinese and Vietnamese five spice preparations, and is used in traditional medicine and in savoury flavour extraction.
Listed black cardamom markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Black cardamom is graded on capsule size, on colour and freedom from mould, on the drying method, and on volatile oil content and cleanliness.
Capsule size and condition
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sieve aperture retained onMillimetres | The grading measure. Bold capsules are retained on the larger aperture, smaller fractions pass through. The exact aperture is named on the contract. |
| Capsule lengthMillimetres | Used alongside the sieve where a buyer specifies visual uniformity. |
| Bulk densityGrams per litre | A weighed volume in a standard measure. Reads seed fill. |
| Empty and immature capsulesMaximum percentage by mass | Capsules carrying little or no seed. |
| Split and broken capsulesMaximum percentage by mass | Split capsules lose oil in storage. |
| Mouldy capsulesMaximum percentage by mass | The critical defect, because the crop is dried in humid hill conditions. |
| Tail and stalkMaximum percentage by mass | Attached peduncle, removed on the cleaning line or contracted as present. |
| Extraneous matterMaximum percentage by mass | Determined per ISO 927. |
| Seed to husk ratioPercentage by mass | Seed weighed after husk removal. |
Drying method and presentation
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Traditional fire driedDirect wood fired bhatti | The classic method, producing the pronounced smoky character. Carries polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon risk, so residues are tested. |
| Indirect hot air driedImproved dryer, no direct smoke contact | Cleaner aroma and lower contaminant load. Increasingly specified by food manufacturers. |
| Sun driedOpen air dried | Produces a lighter, unsmoked capsule. |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsMicrograms per kilogram | Benzo(a)pyrene and the sum of four named compounds, tested against destination market limits. |
| Tail cut or uncutDeclared | Whether the peduncle has been trimmed. |
| Washed or unwashedDeclared | Whether the capsule was washed before drying, which affects surface ash. |
| ColourCIELAB coordinates on a stated instrument, or against a sealed sample | Ranges from reddish brown to near black with drying intensity. |
| SpeciesBotanical name declared | Amomum subulatum from the eastern Himalaya and Amomum tsao-ko from southwest China and northern Southeast Asia are distinct products and are contracted separately. |
Analytical requirements
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Volatile oilMillilitres per 100 grams | Determined by ISO 6571. |
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 939. The governing arrival term for a hill dried crop. |
| Total ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 928. |
| Acid insoluble ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 930. |
| 1,8 cineolePercentage of the volatile oil | Determined by gas chromatography. The dominant aroma compound. |
| Water activityDimensionless | The practical control on mould growth in transit. |
| AflatoxinsMicrograms per kilogram | B1 and the sum of B1, B2, G1 and G2, tested against destination market limits. |
| Ochratoxin AMicrograms per kilogram | Tested against destination market limits. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. |
ASTA cleanliness specifications
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Whole insects, deadCount per stated sample mass | Counted after sieving and inspection. |
| Excreta, mammalianMilligrams per stated sample mass | Determined by flotation and microscopy. |
| Excreta, otherMilligrams per stated sample mass | Determined by flotation and microscopy. |
| MouldPercentage by mass | Visibly mouldy pieces, weighed after separation. |
| Insect defiled or infestedPercentage by mass | Pieces showing insect damage, weighed after separation. |
| Extraneous foreign matterPercentage by mass | Stones, dirt, wire, string and any plant material other than the named spice. |
| TreatmentDeclared | Steam sterilised, ethylene oxide treated, irradiated or untreated. Declared on the contract, because destination markets differ on what they permit. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal | South Asia | Origin |
| India | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Bhutan | South Asia | Origin |
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Laos | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| Myanmar | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Bangladesh | South Asia | Destination |
| Pakistan | South Asia | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Destination |
| Iran | Middle East | Destination |
| Turkiye | Middle East | Destination |
| Egypt | Africa | Destination |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is taken at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is processing, grading and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Sep to Nov, arrival Nov to FebTaplejung, Ilam, Panchthar and Sankhuwasabha harvest from September to November, moving through Birtamod and out via Kolkata. | ||||||
| India | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Sep to Nov, arrival Nov to FebSikkim, Darjeeling and the Kalimpong hills harvest from September to November. | ||||||
| Bhutan | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Sep to Nov, arrival Nov to JanSouthern districts harvest from September to November. | |||||||
| China | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Nov, arrival Nov to FebYunnan and Guangxi harvest Amomum tsao-ko from August to November. | |||||
| Vietnam | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Oct, arrival Oct to JanLao Cai, Ha Giang and Lai Chau harvest thao qua from August to October. | ||||||
| Laos | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Oct, arrival Oct to DecNorthern provinces harvest from August to October. | |||||||
| Myanmar | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Sep to Nov, arrival Nov to JanNorthern Shan and Kachin harvest from September to November. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for black cardamom. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading0908.31 Cardamoms, neither crushed nor ground
0908.32 Cardamoms, crushed or ground - PackingJute or PP woven bags of 25 kg to 50 kg for whole spice, multiwall paper sacks for ground, and foil-lined or vacuum cartons for volatile and high value grades. Food grade liner, fumigation or steam sterilisation certificate where the destination requires it.
- Container loading20ft: 12 t to 18 t depending on bulk density. 40ft is normally volume limited before it reaches its weight limit. Ground and low density spice ships light and prices on cubic, not tonnage.
- Contract and arbitrationASTA cleanliness specifications for United States trade on Association of Food Industries contracts with AFI arbitration in New York. European trade on European Spice Association quality minima and the terms of the importing association, arbitration under ICC rules or the seat named in the contract.
- Destination limitsEU: aflatoxin B1 and total limits under Regulation 2023/915, ochratoxin A limits, pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, and Salmonella absence in 25 g. Ethylene oxide is not authorised in the EU and remains the most common rejection cause on spice. US: FDA FSMA preventive controls and ASTA cleanliness, with standing import alerts for Salmonella on several origins.
Common questions
What grades of black cardamom does SIP Global trade?
We quote 33 published grades of black cardamom, including Sieve aperture retained on - Millimetres, Capsule length - Millimetres, Bulk density - Grams per litre, Empty and immature capsules - Maximum percentage by mass, Split and broken capsules - Maximum percentage by mass and Mouldy capsules - Maximum percentage by mass. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is black cardamom graded?
Black cardamom is graded on capsule size, on colour and freedom from mould, on the drying method, and on volatile oil content and cleanliness. Grading runs on 4 systems: Capsule size and condition, Drying method and presentation, Analytical requirements and ASTA cleanliness specifications.
Where does SIP Global trade black cardamom?
We trade black cardamom in Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand and 19 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is black cardamom harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Nepal: harvest sep to nov, arrival nov to feb; India: harvest sep to nov, arrival nov to feb; Bhutan: harvest sep to nov, arrival nov to jan; China: harvest aug to nov, arrival nov to feb; Vietnam: harvest aug to oct, arrival oct to jan. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for black cardamom?
Black cardamom is normally classified under HS 0908.31 (cardamoms, neither crushed nor ground) and HS 0908.32 (cardamoms, crushed or ground). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for black cardamom?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed black cardamom market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- ASTAAmerican Spice Trade Association cleanliness specifications
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.