0617-0529 TCXCardamom Seed

Alleppey Green Cardamom

Idukki accounts for over 80% of India's small cardamom. Alleppey Green carries GI 59, granted in 2008, and the bold grades run to 8 mm and above.

80%+

of India's small cardamom

Botanical name: Elettaria cardamomum
Known as: Elakkaഏലക്ക
Origin: Cardamom Hills, Idukki
Harvest: August – February

The story

Origin9°51′ N

IdukkiKerala

Kerala76°58′ E

Kerala is by far the most productive cardamom producer in India, with Idukki, Palakkad and Wayanad as the principal producing areas. Idukki alone accounts for over 80% of the country's small cardamom.

Alleppey Green Cardamom was conferred Geographical Indication status by the Government of India in 2008, under GI number 59. The name refers to a quality standard drawn from the Idukki and neighbouring hill crops, not to Alappuzha as a growing region.

The aroma is carried by two dominant compounds — α-terpinyl acetate at 30–61% and 1,8-cineole at 15–49% of the volatile oil. That combination is what produces the sweet floral top note and the cool finish. In 2022 world cardamom production reached 138,888 tonnes, led by India at 41,000 tonnes and Guatemala at 36,407 tonnes.

[ Why here ]

IdukkiKerala

Shade-grown at elevation in the Cardamom Hills, under a canopy that keeps the capsule from drying too fast. Slow, cool curing is what preserves the green and holds the volatile oil in the seed.

Specification

GI 59 · 2008

Alleppey Green Cardamom, registered by the Government of India.

Measured