Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton · Family: Zingiberaceae · Dried Capsule
Cardamom is graded in millimetres — AGEB at 8mm and above, AGB at 7mm, AGS at 6mm — and pod size correlates with the volatile oil that is what you are actually buying. We certify size, colour retention and volatile oil per lot, with a Spices Board of India grade certificate available.
Graded by millimetre, valued for oil
Green cardamom is among the most valuable spices in world trade, and India — specifically the Kerala and Karnataka hills — is its historic home. Guatemala now leads on volume, but Indian cardamom retains a distinct reputation for aroma intensity, which is what the premium rests on.
The grading system is refreshingly concrete: pod size in millimetres. AGEB (Alleppey Green Extra Bold) is 8mm and above, AGB (Alleppey Green Bold) is 7mm and above, and AGS is around 6mm. Larger pods command substantial premiums, and the reason is not merely visual: bigger, well-filled pods generally carry more seed and more volatile oil, which is the aroma you are paying for.
The second grading axis is colour. Cardamom is dried to retain green colour, and a bright, uniform green signals careful, controlled drying while a bleached or yellowed pod signals sun-drying, over-drying or age. Colour is a genuine quality indicator on this spice rather than a cosmetic one, because the same conditions that fade the pod also cost volatile oil.
We certify pod size, colour retention and volatile oil per lot, can supply a Spices Board of India grade certificate, and test EU MRL per lot — cardamom being a commodity where residue findings have caused real trade friction.
What is in the pod
Camphoraceous and cooling, giving cardamom its characteristic lift. Its balance against terpinyl acetate defines the aroma character.
Sweet, floral and fruity — the constituent carrying cardamom's rounder, more luxurious side.
Typically 6–8% in good whole pods, and unusually high for a spice. This is what the premium is actually for, and it is certified per lot.
Supporting constituents adding floral and citrus complexity.
The volatile oil is in the seed; the husk contributes little aroma. Well-filled pods therefore carry more oil, which is why size grading works.
Green colour indicates controlled drying. Bleached or yellowed pods signal sun-drying, over-drying or age — and the same conditions cost volatile oil.
Why buyers specify Indian cardamom by grade
AGEB 8mm+, AGB 7mm+, AGS 6mm — concrete, verifiable grading rather than adjectives.
The aroma you are actually paying for, certified rather than inferred from appearance.
A genuine quality indicator on cardamom — the drying that fades a pod also costs it oil.
Independent grade certification from the Spices Board of India available on request.
Cardamom's historic home, with a distinct reputation for aroma intensity.
Cardamom has seen genuine residue-related trade friction. We test per lot, not per contract.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Bold grades by pod size
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGEB (Extra Bold — 8mm+) Premium | Pod size 8mm and above; highest volatile oil | Large, bright green pod | Premium retail, gifting, foodservice | Whole pod |
| AGB (Bold — 7mm+) Standard export | Pod size 7mm and above | Bright green pod | Retail packing, food manufacturing | Whole pod |
| AGS (Small — 6mm) Commercial | Pod size around 6mm | Green pod, smaller | Grinding, blending, extraction feedstock | Whole pod |
| Decorticated Seeds Seed only | Husk removed; higher oil per kilo | Dark brown-black seed | Extraction, grinding, industrial use | Seed |
| Cardamom Powder Ground | Milled to buyer-specified mesh | Pale green-brown powder | Blends and manufacturing | Ground |
Size grading works because pod size correlates with volatile oil. A larger, well-filled pod carries more seed relative to husk, and the oil is in the seed — so AGEB is not simply a cosmetic premium. That said, size is a proxy and volatile oil is the actual measure: we certify the oil figure per lot so buyers paying an AGEB premium can verify what it bought. Colour retention is the second axis, and a genuine quality signal rather than an aesthetic one, since the drying conditions that bleach a pod also drive off oil. Decorticated seed carries more oil per kilogram than whole pods and is usually the better economics for extraction and grinding, though it loses aroma faster once the protective husk is removed.
Export specification for Indian green cardamom. Values are specification limits and typical grade ranges; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton | — |
| Plant Family | Zingiberaceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried capsule (pod) with seed | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Form | Whole pod, seed or ground | — |
| Colour | Bright uniform green — graded per lot | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic, sweet and aromatic | Organoleptic |
| Pod Size (mm) | AGEB 8+; AGB 7+; AGS ~6 — certified per lot | Sieve / manual |
| Volatile Oil (% v/w) | Typically 6–8 — certified per lot | Distillation |
| Empty / Malformed Pods (%) | NMT 2 on bold grades | Manual |
| Moisture (% w/w) | NMT 12 | Gravimetric |
| Total Ash (% w/w) | NMT 9 | Gravimetric |
| Extraneous / Foreign Matter (%) | NMT 1.0 (NMT 0.5 on AGEB) | Manual |
| Seed : Husk Ratio | Reported on request | Manual |
| Spices Board Grade Certificate | Available on request | SBI |
| Pesticide Residues | EU Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 MRL compliant — tested per lot | GC-MS / LC-MS/MS |
| Aflatoxin | Total NMT 10 ppb; B1 NMT 5 ppb — EU compliant | HPLC-FLD |
| Heavy Metals | Lead NMT 3 ppm, Cadmium NMT 0.2 ppm | ICP-MS |
| Microbial | Salmonella absent/25g; TPC NMT 100,000 cfu/g | USP <2021> / <2022> |
| Ethylene Oxide (ETO) | Not treated — declaration provided | LC-MS/MS (on request) |
| Irradiation | Non-irradiated grade available on request | Declaration |
| Organic | USDA NOP / EU Organic available | Certification |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| HS Code | 0908.31 (Whole); 0908.32 (Crushed/ground) | — |
| Documentation | Phytosanitary Certificate, CoA, MSDS, Allergen Declaration, Non-GMO | — |
| Packaging | Buyer-specified — jute, PP, multi-wall paper or vacuum | — |
| Storage | Cool, dry, well-ventilated; away from direct sunlight and strong odours | — |
Pod size is the grade, but volatile oil is the product. Size grading works because larger, well-filled pods carry more seed relative to husk and the aromatic oil sits in the seed — so an 8mm AGEB pod genuinely delivers more than a 6mm AGS one rather than merely looking better. Because it is a proxy, we certify the volatile oil figure per lot as well, typically 6 to 8% on good whole pods, so a buyer paying the bold-grade premium can verify what it purchased. Colour retention is a real quality indicator here, not a cosmetic preference: cardamom is dried carefully to hold its green, and the sun-drying, over-drying or ageing that bleaches a pod also drives off volatile oil — so a faded lot is usually a weaker one. Empty and malformed pods are the padding risk on this commodity and are limited on bold grades. Pesticide MRL is tested per lot: cardamom has seen genuine residue-related trade friction and this is not a commodity to test per contract.
From Kerala hills to certified consignment — graded, certified, documented
Sourcing & Grading: Sourced from the Kerala and Karnataka cardamom hills, cardamom's historic home. Pods are graded by size on calibrated screens into AGEB, AGB and AGS, with colour retention assessed and empty or malformed pods removed. Decorticated seed is available where extraction or grinding economics favour it.
Testing: Every lot is certified for pod size, colour grade and volatile oil, with the seed-to-husk ratio reported on request. Pesticide residues are tested per lot against EU MRL limits — cardamom having seen genuine residue-related trade friction — alongside aflatoxin, heavy metals by ICP-MS and a full microbiological panel. A Spices Board of India grade certificate is available on request.
Documentation: Every shipment is supplied against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with Phytosanitary Certificate, MSDS, allergen and non-GMO declarations. Non-irradiation and non-ETO declarations are standard; organic, Halal and Kosher certification are available on request. See our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements.
What backs every batch of Green Cardamom spice
Key information for global product registration and labelling
Cardamom deserves particular attention on pesticide residues, and the reason is commercial as much as regulatory. It is a high-value crop grown intensively in a limited geography, and residue findings on cardamom have caused genuine trade friction — consignment rejections and heightened scrutiny that affect the whole origin rather than a single supplier. Because the value per kilogram is high, the cost of a rejected container is correspondingly severe. We therefore test per lot rather than per contract against EU Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 limits, and buyers should confirm whether cardamom from India currently sits on any increased-controls listing for their destination, since that determines sampling frequency and clearance time on arrival. Ethylene oxide non-treatment is declared as standard.
Cardamom grade names carry real price differentials — AGEB commands a substantial premium over AGS — which makes independent verification worth having. The Spices Board of India operates a grade certification scheme, and we can supply a Board grade certificate on request alongside our own per-lot certification of pod size, colour and volatile oil. For buyers new to the commodity or purchasing at distance, that independent confirmation is a reasonable thing to require rather than an unusual demand.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI Central Licence holder, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter. Sourced from the Kerala and Karnataka cardamom hills, with pod size, colour and volatile oil certified per lot. Shipped against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with Phytosanitary Certificate and full export documentation. Packing is buyer-specified, and container stuffing photographs are provided on request.
Guides on cardamom grading, profile and sourcing
The cineole-to-terpinyl-acetate balance that defines cardamom character.
RegulatoryResidue limits, per-lot testing and what stops consignments at the border.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian spices.
Other premium spices from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
AGEB 8mm+, AGB 7mm+ and AGS grades with pod size, colour retention and volatile oil certified per lot, and Spices Board grade certificate available. Tell us your grade and colour requirement.
Supplied as a bulk ingredient for further manufacture. Buyers are responsible for compliance with the regulations of their destination market. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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