Fading Aroma of Black Cardamom: A $480 million market may bloom while India's 'black gold' wilts
India’s large black cardamom industry is battling declining plantation health, crop diseases and climate change, threatening farmers’ livelihoods in Sikkim. Once the world’s largest producer, India has lost ground to Nepal, which now dominates global production. The Sikkim government is backing scientific research, improved planting material and disease-resistant varieties to revive the state’s…
Black cardamom, often called India's "black gold", has been a vital part of Indian cuisine for centuries. Once the world's largest producer, India's output has plummeted, threatening the livelihood of Sikkimese farmers. Unlike green cardamom, large cardamom thrives in the Eastern Himalayas under tree shade. Its smoky flavor is prized in dishes like biryani and meat.
India's share of global production fell from 85% to 22%, and exports dwindled from 5,000-6,000 tonnes to 1,200 tonnes annually. Sikkim's plantations are failing due to shorter crop lifespans, disease, climate change, and reliance on rain-fed irrigation. Nepal now leads global production, while Bhutan holds 8-10% share. Despite efforts by the Sikkim government's Mero Alaichi, Mero Dhan mission to revive the industry, many farmers struggle to find alternatives due to the crop's high profitability in their unique farming conditions.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times - Economy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
