0. Executive Summary
Judgment axis | Key judgment |
| Item Identity | Cardamom is not a single species, but a group of spice ingredients commercially obtained from various Zingiberaceae plants. Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton is designated as the representative Plant Entity for No. 167, while Amomum subulatum and others are managed as separate Plant Entities. ( Plants of the World Online ) |
| Key role | Dried capsules, seeds, and powders are linked to ingredients for spices, tea, beverages, confectionery, bakery, and seasonings, while oils and extracts are managed as separate processed products. |
| Harvesting principle | After harvesting capsules at the appropriate stage of maturity, dry and sort them. Specific harvest color, moisture content, and drying temperature are applied after verifying the origin, species, buyer specifications, or official standards. |
| Product separation | It is divided into Fresh Capsule → Dried Whole Capsule → Decorticated Seed → Ground Seed/Powder → Oil → Extract. |
| Separation of similar items | E. cardamomum and A. subulatum are different species and therefore separate plant entities. Even if they differ in color, size, or scent characteristics, the scientific name is not determined solely by the commercial name. |
| Domestic statistics | The cultivation area and production volume of cardamom in South Korea, based on official national approved statistics, are not entered as figures directly verified in this v1.0 version. They will be entered later after verification of the official raw data . |
| Supply and demand risk | The major risks are reliance on overseas sources, mixing of species, quality variations during harvesting and drying, loss of aroma components, mold, foreign matter, pesticide residues, and microorganisms, as well as international prices, exchange rates, and logistics. |
| Operating Principles | Species-Cultivar-Farm-Harvest-Capsule Lot-Drying-Seed/Powder/Oil Lot-Certificate-Buyer Connect RFQ. |
| Final goal | It is not simply the registration of spices, but the establishment of recurring supply chain intelligence that connects plant species, origin, harvest, drying, product form, aroma quality, and Buyer Spec. |
Kew describes Elettaria cardamomum as an edible rhizomatous geophyte native to southwest India and classifies Amomum subulatum as a separate wet tropical geophyte. This botanical difference is the direct basis for separating the MarketHub Product Master and Origin/Supply Dataset. ( Plants of the World Online )
1. Plant Identity & Product Master
Basic fields | detail |
| Korean name | Cardamom |
| English name | Cardamom |
| Representative scientific name | Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton |
| Separate major scientific names | Amomum subulatum Roxb. |
| classification | Zingiberaceae |
| Edible parts | Mainly capsule/fruit and internal seeds |
| Non-edible · Separate management | Rhizomes, leaves, stems, bark, processing residues, etc. are separated from the spice product. |
| Major harvesting stages | ripening stage of spice capsules |
| Basic product form | Fresh Capsule·Dried Whole Capsule·Seed·Ground Seed·Powder·Oil·Extract |
| Basic processing stage | Harvesting → Sorting → Drying → Refining → Shelling → Seed Separation → Grinding or Distillation/Extraction |
| Basic use | Spices, Tea, Beverages, Seasonings, Confectionery, Bakery, Food Processing |
| Similarity Principle | Separation of Small/Green and Large/Black Cardamom into Plant Entities by Scientific Name |
Kew treats Amomum cardamomum L. as a synonym of the current Elettaria cardamomum. Therefore, when Amomum cardamomum appears in historical documents or literature, it is not created as a new Plant Entity but is linked to the legacy/synonym field. ( Plants of the World Online )
Product Master
Product | Product stage | Key Management Standards |
| Cardamom Plant/Farm Lot | production stage | Species · Cultivar · Origin · Cultivation Site |
| Fresh Capsule | raw materials | Species · Harvest Date · Maturity · Appearance · Pests and Diseases |
| Selected Fresh Capsule | Selected items | Size, color, damage, immaturity/overripe status |
| Drying Lot | Primary processing | Raw Material Lot · Drying Method · Time · Temperature · Moisture |
| Dried Whole Small Cardamom | Basic spice ingredients | E. cardamomum · Origin · Harvest Year · Size · Aroma · Moisture |
| Dried Whole Large Cardamom | Separate spice ingredients | A. subulatum · Origin · Grade · Dry · Scent |
| Decorticated Cardamom Seed | Shelled seeds | Original Capsule Lot · Seed Condition · Moisture · Scent |
| Cardamom Seed Powder | Crushed product | Raw Material Species · Particle Size · Flavor · Microorganisms |
| Whole Cardamom Powder | Specify whether to crush the capsule | Raw material composition, particle size, moisture |
| Cardamom Oil | distilled products | Raw Material Part · Species · Batch · Ingredient Specifications |
| Cardamom Extract | extract | Raw Material Lot · Solvent · Concentration · Use |
| Cardamom Tea Ingredient | specific uses | Size, Grind Size, Flavor, Packaging |
| Cardamom Spice Blend | Blended ingredients | Species · Mixing Ratio · Composition of Other Spices |
| Buyer-specific Ingredient | Customized B2B | Fragrance Profile · Particle Size · Safety · MOQ · Delivery Time |
2. Product Classification & Use Segmentation
Classification criteria | Subdivision type | Management principles |
| Plant classification | E. cardamomum·A. subulatum, etc. | Plant Entity by Species |
| Distribution name | Green/Small·Large/Black etc. | Prohibition of determining Species based solely on commercial name |
| Edible parts | Capsule·Seed | Product Separation |
| Harvesting stage | Immature, ripe, overripe | Linked to dryness and fragrance quality |
| Cultivation method | Tropical and subtropical cultivation systems | Management by mountain area |
| origin | Country → Region → Farm | Traceability |
| Harvest year | Crop Year | Quality and Inventory Fields |
| Distribution methods | Fresh·Dried·Whole·Decorticated | Separate Product ID |
| Processing form | Whole·Seed·Ground·Powder·Oil·Extract | Independent Product |
| Final use | Spices, Tea, Beverages, Bakery, Seasonings, Flavorings | Buyer Application |
| Transaction type | Spot · Regular Supply · Contract Farming · OEM | RFQ connection |
| certification | Organic, Food Safety, Others | Check actual certificate and validity period |
3. Production, Harvest & Post-harvest
step | Essential Dataset | Management purpose |
| Cultivation plan | Species · Varieties · Origin · Area · Buyer | Production plan |
| Seeds, seedlings, propagation | Seeds · Rhizome · Seedling Lot | Plant Identity |
| formula | Official date, planting, cultivation plot | Production history |
| Growth management | New shoots, leaves, flowering, and fruit set | Harvest forecasting |
| rising | Temperature, rainfall, humidity, and solar radiation | Production Risk |
| sunshade | Shading conditions and history | Growth stability |
| Watering | Suwon, period, amount | Moisture management |
| dispute | Materials, timing, and usage | Quantity and Safety |
| pests | Occurrence, Control, and Chemicals | Losses and pesticide residues |
| flowering | Flowering date and inflorescence | Fruit set prediction |
| Fruit set | capsule number and development | Yield prediction |
| Harvest judgment | Capsule maturity, color, and scent | Harvest at the right time |
| harvest | Section, Date, Weight | Fresh Lot |
| Selection | Immaturity, damage, or foreign matter | Grade |
| dry | Method, time, temperature, moisture | Aroma and shelf life |
| Jeongseon | Damage, foreign matter, color, size | commercialization |
| peeling | capsule shell–seed separation | Seed Product |
| save | Temperature, humidity, period, packaging | Fragrance and quality preservation |
| packaging | Weight · Packaging · Lot | shipment |
| shipment | Buyer · Quantity · Date | Transaction tracking |
| smash | Particle Size · Batch | Powder |
| distillation | Seed/Capsule·Batch | Oil |
| extraction | Raw materials, solvents, and concentration | Extract |
| combination | Formula · Ingredient Ratio | Tea/Spice Blend |
4. Quality Specification & Lot Management
Quality items | Fresh Capsule | Dried Whole | Seed/Powder | Oil Extract | finished product | Public rating |
| Species | essential | essential | succession | succession | tracking | Public/Verified |
| mountainous district | essential | essential | succession | succession | tracking | Public/Verified |
| Cultivation method | record | succession | succession | succession | If necessary | Member |
| varieties | essential | succession | succession | succession | If necessary | Verified |
| farmhouse | essential | essential | Raw material connection | Raw material connection | tracking | Verified |
| Lot | essential | essential | essential | essential | essential | Verified/NDA |
| Harvest day | essential | succession | succession | succession | tracking | Verified |
| Harvest year | essential | essential | essential | essential | tracking | Public/Verified |
| appearance | Color, Maturity, Damage | Color, shape, damage | Inheritance of raw materials | By product | QC | Member |
| weight | essential | essential | Packaging weight | Packaging weight | Packaging weight | NDA |
| size | capsule | Core Grade | Seed/Particle Size | — | By product | Member |
| rating | raw materials | Transaction rating | Product specifications | Product specifications | QC | Member |
| pests | check | record | succession | succession | tracking | Verified |
| break | check | core | Raw material history | — | QC | Verified |
| alien substance | check | core | core | core | core | Verified |
| Mold and decay | check | core | test | Raw material verification | Safety Management | Verified |
| moisture | Harvest Reference | core | By product | By product | By product | Verified |
| Aroma and flavor | On-site evaluation | core | core | core | Sensory evaluation | Member/Verified |
| Volatile Oil | If necessary | Review Official Specifications and Buyer Spec | Key possibilities | Product specifications | tracking | Verified/NDA |
| pesticide residues | Cultivation history | test | Raw material inheritance/inspection | Raw material verification | Conformity to standards | Verified/NDA |
| microorganism | If necessary | test | core | By product | Conformity to standards | Verified/NDA |
| Drying history | — | essential | succession | succession | tracking | Verified |
| Heating history | — | — | essential | Inheritance of raw materials | — | Verified |
| Processing history | — | — | smash | Distillation and extraction | manufacturing | Verified/NDA |
| packaging | transit | essential | essential | essential | essential | Member/Verified |
| save | short-term | core | core | By product | By product | Verified |
| Consumption/Preservation Period | — | Supplier Standards | By product | By product | essential | Verified |
| Shipment | essential | essential | essential | essential | essential | Verified |
| Returns | record | record | record | record | record | NDA |
| Claim | record | record | record | record | record | NDA |
| Repurchase | — | Buyer Connection | Buyer Connection | Buyer Connection | Buyer Connection | NDA |
Lot Master Required Field
Lot ID · Item/Product Type · Scientific Name/Species · Variety · Edible Part · Cultivation Type · Country/Origin/Cultivation Area · Producer · Cultivation Method · Propagation/Planting Date · Harvest Year · Harvest Date · Quality Indicators · Capsule Color/Size/Weight/Grade · Seed Condition · Pest/Disease/Appearance Check · Pesticide Use History · Pesticide Residue/Microbiological Report · Drying/Selection/Storage History · Raw Material Lot · Shelling/Grinding/Distillation/Extraction Processing History · Packaging Date · Use-by Date/Best-by Date · Shipper · Returns/Claims · Repurchase
5. Korea Market & Demand Structure
Customers | Purchase criteria | Cooperation opportunities |
| Spices import and distribution company | Species·Origin·Whole/Ground·Fragrance | Global Supplier RFQ |
| spice processing company | Whole · Seed · Particle Size · Uniformity | Powder processing |
| car manufacturers | Scent · Cutting/Grinding Degree · Origin | Tea Blend |
| Beverage manufacturer | Fragrance Profile, Extractability, and Safety | Beverage Ingredient |
| Confectionery and Bakery | Fragrance, Powder Specifications, Particle Size | Bakery Ingredient |
| Food manufacturer | Uniformity, Microorganisms, Supply Stability | B2B Ingredient |
| food service companies | Whole Powder Blend | Regular supply |
| cafe | Tea·Beverage Blend | Small packaging B2B |
| Hotel · Restaurant | Origin · Species · Scent | Premium Spice |
| school meals | Food Safety, Labeling, Delivery Date | processed products |
| HMR · Meal Kit | Standardized spice blend | B2B |
| Distribution/Online | Country of origin, product type, and labeling | Retail |
| PB | OEM·Recipe·MOQ | Private Label |
| Fragrance and Extraction Companies | Raw part, fragrance, extraction yield | Oil/Extract |
| export companies | Destination country standards and markings | K-Food |
| Research and technology institutions | Variety, Flavor, Drying, Storage, Extraction | joint research |
6. Trade & Supply-chain Intelligence
In the international HS system, cardamom is located in heading 0908 along with nutmeg and mace, and in the international customs system, cardamoms are separated into a separate detailed code. The actual Korean HS-K 10-digit code and import statistics are finally verified against raw data from the Korea Customs Service.
step | Key variables | Operational judgment |
| Production in the producing region | Country · Region · Species · Weather | Origin Risk |
| harvest | Species · Crop Year · Maturity | Raw Lot |
| dry | Preserves moisture and fragrance | Quality |
| Jeongseon | Damage, foreign matter, grade | Trade Grade |
| Mountain storage | Packaging and duration | Fragrance preservation |
| export | Supplier·Lot·Documents | Trade Traceability |
| International shipping | Shipping time, packaging, environment | Quality and Delivery |
| Import customs clearance | HS · Country of Origin · Inspection | Domestic regulations |
| Domestic storage | Lot · Inventory · Storage | Supply stability |
| Peeling/Grinding | Seed Powder Batch | Product |
| Distillation and extraction | Raw Material Parts · Batch | Oil/Extract |
| food processing | Recipe·Application | finished product |
| delivery | Buyer Spec · Delivery Date | RFQ implementation |
| Repurchase | Quality, Scent, Price, Claims | Supplier Score |
Trade Dataset
item | v1.0 processing |
| Cardamom HS | Cardamom codes within the 0908 series, to be verified by Korean HS-K later |
| Whole Cardamom import volume | Input after official verification of raw data by the Korea Customs Service |
| Ground Cardamom import volume | Separate detailed code verification |
| Revenue | Enter after verifying the base year and unit |
| Major origins | Subsequent verification of customs clearance data by country |
| Small/Large distinction | Separate verification of whether HS statistics exactly match Species |
| Customs clearance unit price | Separate calculations per Whole/Ground/Product |
| Cardamom Oil | HS verification separate from the raw material |
| Extract | Separate HS verification by processing composition |
| FTA | Verification by Country, HS, and Criteria of Origin |
| Quarantine | Verification by fresh produce, seeds, and dried products |
| Food inspection | MFDS Standard Verification by Product Type |
7. Processing, By-products & PRP Intelligence
Products and processes | Key conditions | RFQ conversion |
| Fresh Capsule | Species · Maturity · Harvest Date | Drying RFQ |
| Selected Capsule | Size, color, damage | Whole Spice |
| Dried Small Cardamom | E. cardamomum · fragrance · moisture | Premium/B2B |
| Dried Large Cardamom | A. subulatum · fragrance · dry | Separate Spice RFQ |
| Decorticated Seed | Seed purity and scent | Ingredient |
| Ground Seed | Particle size, scent, microorganisms | Food manufacturing |
| Cardamom Powder | Raw material composition and particle size | Tea·HMR·Bakery |
| Cardamom Oil | Raw material part · Distillation · Ingredients | Flavors B2B |
| Cardamom Extract | Solvent, Concentration, Scent | Beverage/Food |
| Tea Blend | Blending, Cutting, Fragrance | Tea RFQ |
| Spice Blend | Formula · Fragrance Profile | HMR · Dining Out |
| Broken Capsule | Damage/Safety | Ground raw materials |
| Capsule Husk | shell by-products | Food and flavor conversion requires verification of evidence |
| Distillation Residue | Distillation byproduct | Review of compost and biomaterials |
The fact that Codex adopted the small cardamom as a separate international standard and that the large cardamom is also undergoing separate standardization supports the necessity of establishing quality systems for each of the two products. ( FAO Home )
When converting by-products into ingredients for food, functional foods, pharmaceuticals, or cosmetics, the recognition as a food ingredient, safety, extraction conditions, and relevant laws and regulations are verified separately.
PRP — Product Research Profile
Cardamom PRP operates with the following structure.
Species Identity → Cultivar → Origin → Crop Year → Harvest Maturity → Drying Profile → Capsule Quality → Seed Quality → Aroma/Volatile Oil Profile → Storage Stability → Grinding/Distillation/Extraction → Application Test → Buyer Specification → RFQ Performance
8. AX Transformation
first of all | Execution item | Performance indicators |
| 1 | Species·Origin·Crop Year·Harvest Date·Lot made mandatory | Essential Field Completion Rate |
| 2 | Separation of Small/Large·Whole/Seed/Powder/Oil Product | Product identification rate |
| 3 | Linking weather, pests and diseases, flowering, fruit set, and harvest data | Field–Lot Connection Rate |
| 4 | Datafication of drying, sorting, and storage history | Post-harvest record rate |
| 5 | Quality, Fragrance, Test Report, and Safety Link | COA–Lot connection rate |
| 6 | Video AI capsule screening for size, color, damage, and foreign objects | Selection accuracy |
| 7 | Species/Grade AI Identification Assistance | Misclassification rate |
| 8 | Yield prediction | Production volume forecast error |
| 9 | Prediction of dryness quality and scent loss | Grade · Fragrance Retention Rate |
| 10 | Prediction of grinding, distillation, and extraction yields | Processing yield error |
| 11 | Product–Buyer AI Match | RFQ → Sample Conversion Rate |
| 12 | Buyer Rating & Repurchase Runtime Connection | Repurchase rate · Claim rate |
9. Industry Problem Bank
congrat | Problem Definition | Required data |
| Mixed Species | Green/Black Cardamom are mixed based solely on commercial names | Scientific Name · Supplier |
| Legacy scientific name | Existence of synonyms such as Amomum cardamomum | Taxonomy |
| Capsule–Seed Mix | Difference in specifications between whole fruit and shelled seeds | Plant Part·Product |
| Small–Large mixed use | Confusion regarding price, scent, and use of different species | Species·Grade |
| Variation in harvest maturity | Changes in quality of unripe and overripe capsules | Maturity·Harvest Date |
| Drying deviation | Differences in color, aroma, and shelf life | Drying history · Moisture |
| Loss of fragrance components | Deterioration of fragrance quality during storage and processing | Storage·Volatile Profile |
| break | Capsule damage during logistics and drying | Defect Dataset |
| alien substance | Issues regarding processing and sorting at the production site | QC |
| mold and microorganisms | Safety management of low-moisture foods | Moisture content and test results |
| pesticide residues | Differences in pesticide use by country and region | Pesticide Records · COA |
| Severed traceability between raw material and powder | Difficulty in identifying Species and Origin after grinding | Lot Genealogy |
| Oil source part unclear | Lack of definition for raw materials such as capsules/seeds | Raw Material |
| HS–Species discrepancy | Difference between trade statistics and plant species range | HS·Scientific Name |
| dependence on imports | Impact on production and logistics in major production areas | Country · Supplier · Inventory |
| Price and exchange rate fluctuations | Fluctuation in raw material costs | Customs Clearance Price · Exchange Rate |
| Buyer Spec Difference | Specifications vary by tea, beverages, confectionery, and dining out. | RFQ Spec |
| Repurchase not reflected | Usage results are not linked to the next purchase | Evaluation · Repeat Order |
10. Farmer RFQ & Collaboration Model
RFQ Type | Public Registration | Verify/NDA |
| Fresh Capsules Sourced from the Producer | Species · Region · Harvest Season | Producer, Quantity, Unit Price |
| Dried Small Cardamom for Sale | E. cardamomum · Origin · General Grade | Inventory · COA · Price |
| Large Cardamom for sale | A. subulatum·Origin·Product | Actual Grade · Price |
| Whole Cardamom purchase | Species · Origin · Use | Target Quantity/Unit Price |
| Seed purchase | Decorticated Status · Species | Lot · Price |
| Regular supply | Product · General Specifications · Period | Monthly volume and contract price |
| contract production | Species · Region · Purpose | Farms, Area, and Purchase Conditions |
| Powder supply | Species · Particle Size | MOQ·COA |
| Oil supply | Raw Material Species · Parts | Process, Ingredients, Price |
| Extract supply | Product · Use | Solvent, Concentration, COA |
| Tea Ingredient | Whole/Cut/Ground | Mixing and Delivery |
| Dining Out & School Meals | Spice/Blend | Unit Price · Delivery Cycle |
| HMR · Meal Kit | Standard Spice Blend | Recipe · MOQ |
| OEM·PB | Product concept | Formula · Cost · Contract |
| export | Product · Destination Country | HS·Price·Regulation |
| Technology demonstration | Cultivation · Drying · Sorting · Traceability | raw data |
| local specialties | Local produce × Cardamom products | Manufacturing conditions |
| Research cooperation | Species · Fragrance · Storage · Extraction | IP · Exam materials |
11. RFQ Request First
① Need Products & Materials
Companies and institutions seeking necessary products, agricultural products, raw materials, and processed goods register purchasing demands. Registered requests are utilized to review cooperation with potential suppliers and producers based on the RFQ Intelligence Library.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Supplier/Product Review → Collaboration Connection → Future AI Matching
Register
② We are looking for production and manufacturing partners. (Need Suppliers & Manufacturers)
Register a request to find necessary production and supply partners, ranging from farms and producer organizations to processing companies, OEM, ODM, and private label manufacturers.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Review of Production & Manufacturing Capabilities → Collaboration Connection → Future AI Partner Matching
Register
③ We are looking for domestic and international buyers. (Need Buyers)
Farmers, producer organizations, and manufacturing companies are requesting cooperation with new buyers, such as domestic and international distributors, importers, brand companies, and food service and catering businesses.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Product & Supply Capability Review → Market & Buyer Connection → Future AI Buyer Matching
Register
Contact : mail@markethub.org
Version History
Version | Main contents | situation |
| v1.0 | Plant Identity · Small/Large Species · Product · Production · RFQ Basic Structure Registration | complete |
| v1.1 | Verification of domestic and global official production, market, and HS trade raw data | expected |
| v2.0 | Quality, processing specifications, and PRP segmentation by Whole Capsule, Seed, Powder, Oil, and Extract | expected |
| v3.0 | Combined Producer/Global Supplier – Import/Processing Company – Tea/Beverage/Food Buyer Verified Container | expected |
