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Biryani chefs and Sikkim farmers face a spice shortage as large cardamom supply collapses
Economy
Published on 24 April 2026
A Himalayan crop shift changed a global luxury ingredient
India once dominated global large cardamom production from Sikkim, making the world’s most expensive flavours reliably available. But when supply faltered, the shock didn’t stay in warehouses. Biryani costs and restaurant margins felt it, while farmers in Sikkim lost their livelihood. The disruption shows how fragile spice economies can ripple fast.
- Sikkim drove India’s dominance in large cardamom production
- A breakdown in supply disrupted a global premium spice pipeline
- Biryani makers and diners may feel price pressure quickly
- Farmers’ incomes were hit when cardamom demand couldn’t be met
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times