How To Make Money In The Cardamom Business? - 2025 Guide

India’s spices have always been known for the best flavour and quality. The country’s diverse climatic conditions due to its varying topographical regions make it suitable for harvesting a wide range of spices. The different types of spices supplied by India are chilli, turmeric, ginger, pepper, coriander, fenugreek, cumin, garlic, curry powder, spice oils, cardamom, etc. To this day, India produces over 75 of the world’s total 109 types of spices. This implies that starting a spice business in India is a promising idea and this article discusses the process of starting a cardamom business in India.

Cardamom is a type of pod spice that, to some consumers, has a minty flavour with a little sweet taste. India is the country where this spice originated from and is now available throughout the globe being used in all kinds of recipes. For cooking, cardamom is used as cardamom pods as well as cardamom powder. The oils, seeds, and cardamom extracts are known to possess strong medicinal properties and traditional practitioners have been using them for centuries.

Cardamom is beneficial for consumers with high blood pressure because of its diuretic and antioxidant properties, fight against chronic diseases, improve digestion, prevent cavities, and improve breathing, to name a few. In addition to cardamom being used as part of cooking recipes, it is also commonly added to tea, cardamom is also used as an oil that is extracted from the cardamom pods themselves. You need to make sure of getting hold of the right idea about the cardamom price before you wish to start your business.

The medicinal benefits of cardamom have made it one of the most popular spices being used globally and India being the main exporter of the spice, it is a promising idea to start a cardamom production business and written below are the steps that outline the entire process of the same.

1- Determine the type of business:

Before even thinking about starting the business, one must be aware of the type of business involving cardamom spices. The common types of businesses are cardamom manufacturers, cardamom merchants, wholesalers, and suppliers/exporters of spices. A business can be one of these types or even a combination of some or all of them.

2- Study the industry and the market:

It is important to have an overview of the industry. Some companies may manufacture other spices along with cardamom. Kerala produces the largest amount of cardamom spices accounting for about 79% of the country's total cardamom production. About 90% of the country’s cardamom production is consumed by Indians and the left-over cardamom is exported each year and these are usually the premium grade. By-products like oleoresins and cardamom oil are also exported by India.

3- Narrow down to a specific niche:

As there are different ways to earn money involving cardamom, one needs to determine the type of business to start whether it be a wholesaler, supplier, manufacturer, exporter, etc. Determining the type of business at this point will guide the further stages of starting the business. If one wishes to start a cardamom manufacturing company, then one needs to consider the various needs to run such a business. Some of these needs are an area of land for the cultivation of cardamom, a manufacturing, and processing plant, equipment, etc. If one only wishes to have a wholesaler business, then one may not need an area for cultivation, manufacturing plant, etc., but may need a storehouse to store the products. If the type of business desired is the retailer kind, then one needs to think about opening stores across multiple regions to sell cardamom products. These are examples of some of the requirements to keep in mind when deciding on the type of business.

4- Keep a close eye on the potential competitors:

There will almost always be established companies offering the same or similar products when beginning a new business. These are considered competitors because they are the businesses that will have to compete for customers' attention. Some cardamom manufacturing companies to look out for are Yogita Agro Food Products, MAS enterprises Ltd, Suchi Industries, South Indian Green Cardamom Company Ltd, etc.

5- Choose the appropriate name and entity:

A company name is more than simply a collection of words. It is a representation of the business and brand. The process of picking a business name may appear straightforward at first, but numerous elements go into making one that is effective. The cardamom business brand name should be catchy, easy to remember, and reflects the brand’s goals and attributes. Choosing the right entity is also important for a business. If one wishes to start a small business meant only for a small region then a sole proprietorship will be suitable for the business and if the owner’s vision for the business is to export cardamom overseas then a limited liability company (LLC) is the right choice.

6- Work on the legal documents:

After the name has been decided, it is now time to get started with the paperwork. All the documents must be issued for starting a business. Failure to produce the required documents is considered an offense that could lead to the shutting down of the business. Various registrations will have to be done like the company registration, FSSAI License, GST registration, Shop, and Establishment Act License, Import Export Code, IEC certificate, Confidential bank certificate, etc. All these need to be registered to smoothly run a business without any hindrance.

7- Acquire certifications to boost the business:

Acquiring certain certifications can be very beneficial as it helps depict the business as a professional and thriving one. For a cardamom production business, one such certificate is the IS 1987 (1984). The Spices Board India has developed certifications for all types of spices manufactured in India. Acquiring these certifications indicate that the spices produced were up to the desired standard of the Spices Board India which boosts the company.

8- Start a cardamom plantation:

Earlier, people who own large cardamom plantations are considered rich but in the current scenario, people are starting to own small areas of cardamom plantations. Also, the government is willing to lend a helping hand to those wishing to start a cardamom plantation through grants, subsidies, reimbursement of expenses, etc. In an acre of land, about 450 cardamom trees can be planted and insecticide treatments need to be regularly done along with regular fertilizer treatments. revenue will mostly start to be generated within 14 to 18 months of starting the cardamom plantation. You need to ensure providing the best quality black cardamom.

9- Establish a cardamom plant for processing raw cardamom:

Equipment will be required to process the raw cardamom that has been harvested. Some of the equipment needed to process cardamom and export it are a compressor, heat-sealing machine, disintegrator, packaging machine, spice grinders and sieves, roster, weighing scale, etc. Additionally, storage space will also be needed to store the raw products as well the processed ones that are ready to be shipped.

10- Employ staff and technicians:

With the plantation and cardamom manufacturing plant ready, employees and staff need to be employed. Farmers will be needed to cater to the plantation, technicians will be required to install and set up machinery and equipment, and staff to operate the equipment. Additionally, experts like food engineers, plant managers, quality control officers, and accountants will be required to smoothly run the business.

11- Raise awareness about the business:

Raising awareness about the brand is something that companies often do to get their products to the consumers. It is also something that companies continue to incorporate throughout the years. This can be done with advertisements on websites and televisions, posters and banners throughout the city, social media marketing campaigns, etc. This helps the business stay on top with other competitors even as new companies rise to compete with them.

Conclusion:

With India taking the lead as the largest spice supplier in the world, one can be assured that starting a cardamom manufacturing company in the country will indeed raise a lot of revenue and profit and hopefully after going through the steps, the process of starting a cardamom business does no longer seem difficult but instead, encouraging to anyone wishing to go ahead and start making money by starting a cardamom manufacturing business.

FAQ’s: Cardamom

Q. Which type of people should not consume cardamom?

Ans. If a person has gallstones, then it is not recommended to take cardamom. The person may take small amounts but it can be risky as cardamom seeds can cause spasmodic pain commonly known as gallstone colic.

Q. How long does cardamom last before its quality deteriorates?

Ans. If stored appropriately, the quality of cardamom stays the same for about 3 to 4 years. This can be achieved by storing cardamom in airtight containers.

Q. What type of climate is best suited for cardamom plantation?

Ans. The cardamom plants thrive the most in regions with temperatures anywhere between 15° C and 35° C and receiving annual rainfall between 1500mm and 2500mm.

Q. Which fertilizer is the best option for cardamom plants?

Ans. Fertilizer comprising 150g potash, 75 kg phosphorus, and 75 kg nitrogen per hectare is recommended for healthy cardamom plants.