Guatemala is the world's leading producer of cardamom and number one in exports. It moves almost 1 percent of the country's gross domestic product and is grown in five departments: Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Quiché, Huehuetenango, and Izabal.
The Central Bank of Guatemala states that over US$450 million in cardamom were exported in 2022. This has boosted the municipalities where 70% of the economy is dependent on cardamom production, grown by more than 350,000 smallholders throughout the productive chain.
Local production started to become important in 1970 and up to 45,000 tons per year are exported in recent years. Guatemalan cardamom reaches most of the countries of the Middle East as well as Europe, Asia, the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. The cardamom agroindustry offers quality to its global consumers and keeps international certifications up to date for this important spice. Guatemalan cardamom is distributed as a bean in small packages that reach the best supermarkets, restaurants and kitchens of the world.