The price of big (black) cardamom in Nepal has surged sharply due to increased demand during Ramadan in Muslim-majority countries and reduced production in key producing nations like India and Bhutan.

Recently, the price at Birta Mod, a prominent trading center in Jhapa, eastern Nepal, reached Rs 2800 per kg. This spike is attributed to early imports by Muslim-majority countries in anticipation of the upcoming Ramadan, which begins in late February or early March 2025.

Big cardamom is a key ingredient in biryani, widely used during Ramadan for cooking, further driving demand.

Historical price fluctuations show significant volatility in the market; in 2014, prices peaked at Rs 2700 per kg, but by 2018, they dropped drastically to Rs 850 per kg. The price had previously reached Rs 3000 per kg in 2016 before falling to Rs 700 per kg by mid-2022.

Given the current upward trend, the Federation of Exporters of Nepali Big Cardamom predicts that prices could surpass the Rs 3000 per kg mark this year. As a result, many producers and traders are stockpiling their goods, with around 60% of the stock already held by them.

The highest quality big cardamom is currently priced at Rs 2800 per kg, followed by medium quality at Rs 2700 and lower quality at Rs 2600 per kg. India remains the largest buyer of Nepali big cardamom, purchasing almost the entire production for export to Muslim nations.