A sniff of 20+ lakhs - Cardamom Auction

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Inside a quiet glass-walled cabin in Idukki, Kerala, a group of highly trained experts sit in silence, each facing a computer screen. At first glance, it looks like a financial trading floor, but the real stakes here are aromatic and green. This is the world’s most prestigious green cardamom auction house, where top graders evaluate every pod not with machines, but with pure human intuition. They assess the moisture with touch, determine purity by color, and estimate oil content through smell alone. No lab tests, no tech, just years of deeply honed sensory experience.

Before each auction, graders follow a strict routine to keep their senses neutral. No perfumes, no spicy food, no strong drinks - even a small olfactory disruption can cost lakhs. The finest cardamom pods can contain up to 8 percent essential oil, a detail judged entirely through smell. One misstep and a 20 lakh rupee lot could be rejected. This is not just spice trading, it is a high-stakes ritual of discipline, sensory mastery, and cultural precision.

#cardamom #auction #trading #spices #india