Nepal Surpassed India in Large Cardamom Production
Shifting climate patterns and crop diseases have significantly altered the global supply of this spice.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Organic Food
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Nepal now leads the world in large cardamom production with a 68% share, while India, once the top producer, has fallen to 22% as of 2024-25. This transition impacts agricultural economies in the Eastern Himalayas as regional farmers navigate environmental changes.
Why it matters
The decline in Indian production reflects the broader impact of changing weather patterns on spice agriculture and local rural economies. As production shifts, understanding these environmental risks remains critical for long-term food security and market stability.
Official production reports for 2024-25 show Nepal now produces 68% of the world's large cardamom, compared to India's 22%. While 5,591 tonnes of black cardamom were produced in Sikkim during this period, widespread crop disease remains a significant, unresolved challenge.
The players
Sikkim
An Indian state in the Eastern Himalayas where 21% of rural households depend on large cardamom cultivation.
Nepal
The nation that currently serves as the largest global producer of large cardamom, accounting for 68% of world supply.
The details
Cardamom crops in the Eastern Himalayas have been weakened by decades of cloning from identical genetic stock, reducing their natural resilience to pathogens. Warmer winters and unpredictable rainfall patterns have further compounded these vulnerabilities by creating favorable conditions for fungal diseases. Scientists are now testing crossbreeding and seed-based propagation to develop more robust plant varieties that can withstand these stressors.
Timeline
In 2003-04, Sikkim produced 5,600 tonnes of black cardamom.
By 2010, production in Sikkim had dropped to 2,500 tonnes.
In 2024-25, Sikkim reported a total production of 5,591 tonnes.
The global market for large cardamom reached $250 million in 2025.
The global market is projected to reach $480 million by 2033.
Health Landscape
The global spice market is currently undergoing a structural shift driven by climate-related agricultural instability. This transition highlights the growing need for genetic diversification in monoculture crops to sustain market output against the 2033 global large cardamom market expansion projection.
While these agricultural shifts primarily affect global trade, they underscore the importance of understanding the origin and health of the spices in your pantry. For those concerned about food quality and chemical use in disease-prone crops, discussing sustainable sourcing with your grocer is a valuable habit.
The takeaway
Large cardamom remains a high-value commodity, reaching prices of 2,300 per kg amid shifting production centers. Consumers can keep track of agricultural developments by following reports from national agricultural boards on crop resilience and sustainability standards.
Further reading
Learn more about the environmental factors affecting spice cultivation in our Organic Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Economic Times.
Live Poll
Would you continue farming a crop if its production yield significantly declined over several years?
