FAQs

It reflects export pricing from major producing countries like India and China, as well as transport costs, currency fluctuations, and supply-demand shifts across global trade lanes.

Cardamom benchmarks are updated on a regular basis—monthly for most series. Editorial commentary is provided to explain price movements and seasonal trends.

Yes. Our platform supports cost modelling for products such as spiced snacks, herbal teas, baked goods, and blended spice mixes. Get more information about cost modelling features.

Cardamom is widely used in baked goods, sweets, curries, flavoured teas and coffees. In Middle Eastern markets, it is also used in spiced rice and desserts. Some varieties are processed into powder or essential oils.

Yes. We cover multiple grades including Bold, Super Bold, and Split pods. Our data includes both whole pods and seeds used in food and non-food applications such as traditional medicine.

Key factors include rainfall levels, fungal disease outbreaks, pest issues, availability of labour, and drying methods. Market prices are also sensitive to currency fluctuations, regional political stability, and demand surges during religious or cultural holidays.

We provide benchmark data for cardamom sourced from Guatemala and India—together responsible for nearly 65% of global production. Pricing includes CIF Europe, ex-warehouse US, and FOB export levels.

Cardamom prices reflect a combination of farmgate costs, harvesting frequency, weather impacts, export volumes, and demand from key markets like the Middle East.

Absolutely. Our forecasts incorporate trade data, macro trends, landing volumes, and pricing momentum. Learn more about our forecasting features.

Prices are refreshed weekly, with editorial insight for any major shifts, regulatory news, or logistical developments.

Yes. We support cost modelling for lobster-forward dishes like lobster rolls. See our Cost Model tools to track ingredient and input costs over time.

Key factors include:

• Landings and harvest cycles
• Ocean temperatures and weather
• Trade policy and tariffs
• Freight and air cargo costs
• Inventories and demand peaks (e.g. holidays, tourism)
• Regulatory updates and sustainability standards

Lobsters are generally sold and consumed in cooked form—live or as processed tails or meat. Finished products include restaurant dishes, frozen meals, lobster rolls, and premium seafood mixes.

The US and Canada lead in American lobster production, with over 200,000 tonnes caught annually. Major importers include the US, China, South Korea, Italy, and other high-income nations.

We track live lobsters (hard and new shell), frozen lobster tails, cooked whole, and lobster meat. Origins include the US, Canada, Brazil, the Caribbean, and South Africa.

It reflects a mix of supply factors (like seasonal harvests, quotas, shell conditions), demand signals (tourism, restaurant activity), and logistics (freight rates, inventory levels, trade barriers). Expana’s pricing tracks these variables weekly.

• Severe Price Fluctuations: Weather shocks, crop switching, and government policies can drive pronounced swings in pricing and supply.
• Adulteration Risks: Maintaining clean, high-purity cumin is critical given risks of contamination—an ongoing concern for importers.
• Quality Standards: Differing oil content and color specs across origins present import and blending challenges.
• Manual Harvest Dependency: Labour availability, costs, and regulatory changes have direct impacts on production outcomes.

India dominates global production, accounting for over 70% of output (950,000 MT in 2023), with Gujarat and Rajasthan as the powerhouse states. Other significant suppliers include Syria, Turkey, and Iran, though their output is more variable due to ongoing regional instability.

• Spice and flavour enhancement in model cuisines worldwide.
• Traditional medicine and natural health supplements.
• Cosmetic and personal care applications.
• Herbal remedies and functional foods.

Several factors have an outsized impact on cumin pricing:

Weather Conditions:

Cumin thrives in warm, dry climates with minimal rainfall. A prolonged spell of cold or wet weather—especially at harvest—can significantly reduce both the quantity and quality of cumin. Wet periods at harvest time also heighten the risk of fungal diseases, resulting in greater crop losses and potential quality downgrades.

Crop Competition & Farmer Response:

Farmers routinely make planting decisions based on comparative crop returns. If cash crops such as cotton, fennel, or coriander offer better revenues than cumin, producers switch acreage, sharply contracting cumin supply for the season. Conversely, when cumin prices rise, acreage expands. These rapid crop shifts can lead to considerable year-to-year volatility in both output and price.

Labour Costs:

Cumin is a manually harvested crop, making it highly sensitive to changes in national minimum wages. As wage rates increase, so does the cost of cumin production, leading to long-term price pressures—especially in major producing regions like India.

Export and Policy Influences:

Regulatory changes such as export bans, duties, or incentives—especially in India and Turkey—can tighten (or suddenly loosen) global supply, leading to rapid price adjustment.

Certifications such as ASC and BAP are increasingly required by large retail and foodservice buyers. They influence access to premium markets and can lead to price differentials for certified versus non-certified product.

Farmed shrimp, particularly whiteleg (Litopenaeus vannamei), dominates global supply and offers more consistent sizing and availability. Wild-caught shrimp – such as Gulf or Mexican varieties – often carry a price premium due to limited harvests, distinct flavor profiles, and sustainability considerations.

Ecuador, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia are the leading shrimp exporters, primarily supplying the US, EU, China, and Japan. The US is one of the largest importers, with seasonal and retail demand playing a major role in shaping trade patterns and price movements.

Shrimp prices are influenced by production volumes, feed costs, disease outbreaks, and trade flows. Inventory levels in key markets like the US and Europe also play a crucial role – high stocks can suppress prices, while low inventories can trigger restocking and upward momentum.