Digitizing traditional Green Cardamom Trade. How a startup company from remote village of Idukki, Kerala revolutionizing the billion dollar business.

Kattappana, Idukki – December 4, 2024 – Kerala, the southeast state of India, is majorly known for two things, first the picturesque landscapes and tourism, and secondly the quality spices they produce. The tourism in Kerala is almost saturated as almost all the landscapes are been explored by the travel enthusiasts, and its well known for the tourists. But there were a treasure that have immense potential that most of the inmates are unaware, other than the inmate business enthusiasts those who dealing that niche category. 

You must be heard about a spice called Indian Green Cardamom, it’s an essential commodity that uses in almost every masale, confectionery, and baking products. Do you know that India was the dominant leader in the cultivation, production, and export of green cardamom until 1980’s. Then Guatemala surpassed India in production and export. However, in recent times, serious outbreak of aphids (leaf lice) severely impacted cultivation in Guatemala, resulted, Indian cardamom regained its dominance in the international market in 2024, resulted stunning Rs. 3028.02/Kg average, which is the highest in recent times, shown in auctions conducted at 23 November 2024

The trade of Indian Green Cardamom is regulated and its controlled by the regulatory body called Spices Board of India, which is under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Price of green cardamom is determined by the online auctions conducted under the supervision of Spices Board, at locations Puttady, Idukki and Bodynayakannur, Tamil Nadu. Farmers and traders bring their cardamom on auctions, and buyers buy the same. On the context an average quantity around 60,000 Kg to1 lakh kilograms are traded by the auctions every day. All these by 300+/- registered traders called registered dealers and thousands of  decentralized farmer those who cultivate and produce the cardamom. 

To enter this generation old beautiful trading market, either someone must have a physical office, in Idukki, or Bodynayakannur or they have some agents here to operate the business. Now have you ever imagine buying a dress via online, 5 years before?, Your probable answer must be No, but now, someone have the size anxieties will order 3 and choose the appropriate size and return the others. Similarly technology looped in to entire lifestyle of people from buying cloths to consulting healthcare professionals. Traditional green cardamom trade, which has the immense potential of millions of rupees, cannot take side stand.

Such revolutionary pain point has been addressed by a village spice tech startup called Spice Shuttle Condiments Private Limited. They simply introduce a cardamom trading platform that allows common people become spice traders via just basic knowledge and use of a mobile app called “Cardamom Coin”.  By the use of this app, someone without any knowledge of this business can became a spice trading business owner. Just from 1 kg (the quoted 1 kilogram of green cardamom as 1 Cardamom coin), to any given quantity, one can buy, sell, trade or explore the immense potential of this beautiful and elite class business. 

This startup is changing the way the world trades one of India’s most valuable spices – green cardamom. Cardamom Coin, a digital platform born out of the village of Idukki, Kattappana, is on a mission to digitize the traditional green cardamom trade, offering a seamless and secure way for farmers, traders, and buyers to engage in the market from the convenience of their mobile phones.

The green cardamom industry, which has long been a cornerstone of Kerala’s economy, holds immense untapped potential. On November 23, 2024, the quantity of cardamom traded through the platform reached an impressive 121,216.9 kg, with an average price of ₹2,992.835 per kilogram. With such steady volume and fluctuating prices, Cardamom Coin aims to bring transparency, efficiency, and security to a market that has often been opaque and difficult for smaller players to access.

Cardamom Coin has not only opened up new revenue streams for farmers but also expanded business opportunities for traders and buyers alike. For the first time, anyone with a smartphone can participate in the green cardamom trade, whether as a novice buyer, an experienced trader, or a farmer looking to sell directly to the market. This unprecedented accessibility allows small-scale farmers to now tap into the digital economy and reap the benefits of their hard work.

After launch, over the past months alone, Cardamom Coin has seen impressive growth in both transaction volume and market activity. The platform has processed a significant number of trades, and fatly establishing itself as a key player in the green cardamom trade.

At its core, Cardamom Coin is more than just a trading platform – it’s a beacon of innovation that reflects the growing digital transformation in rural India. By digitizing the green cardamom trade, the startup is enabling local farmers to not only compete but thrive in a rapidly changing global marketplace. Through its secure, transparent, and user-friendly app, Cardamom Coin is driving the future of the green cardamom trading and industry, making it accessible to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. The startup, born in the remote villages of Kerala, is now poised to make waves across the world’s spice markets.

With a bright future ahead, Cardamom Coin represents a digital revolution in traditional agricultural trade. This innovative approach has the potential to empower millions of individuals, transform economies, and place the spotlight back on the value and beauty of green cardamom – a spice that continues to shape India’s agricultural landscape.

Learn more – https://cardamomcoin.org/