White Cardamom Export: FOB Pricing Explained for 2026

Pricing is the first question every importer asks — and often the least transparent part of the trade. Quotes for what appears to be the same spice can vary by 30–50% between suppliers, leaving buyers unsure whether they are paying for quality or for padding. At TasikSpice, we believe clarity builds long-term partnerships. In this guide, we open the books on white cardamom export pricing for the 2026 season: what the headline $10.30/kg FOB Tanjung Priok rate actually covers, how volume discounts work, and when seasonal premiums apply. Our spice — known locally in West Java as kapulaga jawa, or kapulaga putih (Amomum compactum) — is grown by smallholder farmers in the cool Tasikmalaya highland, and as a direct cardamom spice supplier we control every step from farmgate to container loading.

What Does $10.30/kg FOB Tanjung Priok Actually Cover?

FOB (Free On Board) means the seller bears all costs until the goods are loaded onto the vessel at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta. After that, ocean freight, marine insurance, and destination charges belong to the buyer. For Indonesian cardamom shipped from our West Java facility, the $10.30/kg headline rate for Grade A pods is built up from several cost layers:

• Farmgate sourcing: purchases from smallholder clusters across the Tasikmalaya highland, priced at harvest weight with moisture checks at collection points.
• Post-harvest processing: gentle drying to ≤12% moisture to preserve the cream-white color and volatile oil content, followed by mechanical cleaning and de-stemming.
• Grading and hand sorting: separation of Grade A whole pod cardamom from splits and lower grades — labor-intensive work that directly affects uniformity.
• Export packaging: new food-grade 25 kg PP bags or cartons, labeled to buyer specification.
• Inland logistics: trucking roughly 250 km from West Java to Jakarta, plus supervised container stuffing.
• Documentation: certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, fumigation certificate, packing list, and bill of lading.

Two things are deliberately excluded: ocean freight and marine insurance. If you prefer landed-cost certainty, we can quote CIF to Jeddah, Dubai, Colombo, or Rotterdam — typically adding $0.40–0.70/kg depending on destination and current container rates.

Volume Discounts: Per-Kg Rates for Whole Pod Cardamom

Export pricing is not one number — it is a ladder. Handling, documentation, and container consolidation are largely fixed costs, so larger orders dilute them. Indicative 2026 tiers for Grade A pods:

• Samples (0.5–5 kg): supplied at reference rates plus international courier; ideal for lab testing essential oil and moisture before committing.
• 1–3 MT: list price of $10.30/kg FOB Tanjung Priok.
• 5–9 MT: roughly 2–3% below list, usually $10.00–10.10/kg.
• 10+ MT / full 20-ft FCL: around 4–6% below list — roughly $9.70–9.90/kg. A 20-foot container typically carries 10–12 MT of whole pod cardamom depending on packaging format.
• Annual contracts (20+ MT): negotiated 6–8% off list, with forward pricing or quarterly price reviews.

Grade selection matters just as much as quantity. The $10.30/kg rate applies to Grade A: uniform cream-white color, moisture ≤12%, impurities ≤1%, and a minimum 95% intact pods. Grade B standard lots — slightly more color variation and 1.5–2% impurities — trade about $0.80–1.00/kg lower. Splits and broken pods, popular with grinding and extraction plants, sit well below that. Serious buyers should always match grade to end use rather than chasing the lowest headline number.

Want the full tier sheet with your specific destination port? Message the TasikSpice export desk on WhatsApp at +62 812-9869-9940 for a written quotation within one business day.

Seasonal Premiums Through the 2026 Indonesian Cardamom Harvest

Tasikmalaya's highland climate produces a main harvest from September to November — which means, as of early September 2026, the new crop is arriving at collection points right now. This window offers the best value of the year: supply is abundant, farmgate prices soften, and aroma is at its peak in freshly dried lots. Buyers who book during the harvest usually lock in the most competitive per-kg rates of the season.

From January onward, the equation flips. As farmer stocks are drawn down and warehouses empty, spot prices typically firm by 5–10%, and late-season premiums appear when demand from Middle Eastern and South Asian repackers accelerates ahead of Ramadan. Weather adds another variable: extended rainfall in the highlands slows sun drying and can tighten supply within weeks, which is why Indonesian cardamom quotes sometimes move noticeably between monthly shipments.

Global sentiment matters too. Green cardamom prices from Guatemala and India influence how traders value all cardamom categories, including ours. When Guatemalan or Indian crop reports come in short, buyers often shift toward Indonesian origins and firm our prices; a heavy Indian auction season can do the reverse. The practical takeaway for importers: fix prices for 30–60 days rather than week to week, and consider staggered shipments to average out volatility.

Getting a Firm Quote for the 2026 Season

To price your order accurately, we need five details: target grade (A or B), quantity, packaging format, destination port, and preferred Incoterm. As a direct cardamom spice supplier — not a trading intermediary — TasikSpice can hold firm FOB offers for 10 working days and reserve raw material from the current harvest while you arrange financing and shipping.

The 2026 harvest window is short, and the strongest lots are usually contracted within weeks of drying. If you are planning white cardamom export purchases this season, now is the time to move. Chat with TasikSpice on WhatsApp at +62 812-9869-9940 — share your specifications and we will return a detailed, no-obligation quote backed by free samples.