Coorg Kodagu Cardamom Pepper Spice Plantation Karnataka

The hill estates of Coorg (Kodagu) district in Karnataka, along the Western Ghats bordering Kerala, produce large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) and black pepper (Piper nigrum) under a traditional shade-grown mixed plantation system called Kans. Kodagu spice estates combine coffee, cardamom, pepper, and areca nut in a multi-story canopy that supports endemic wildlife including elephants, leopards, and hornbills. Kodagu cardamom, known for its strong camphor aroma, is sold to Gulf and European markets. Spice cooperatives in Virajpet and Madikeri provide collective buying, drying infrastructure, and export certification. Kodagu also produces Robusta coffee, vanilla, and arecanut within the same estate ecosystem.