The government today fixed a minimum import price (MIP) for cardamon at Rs 500 a kg, a move aimed at protecting the interest of domestic players against cheaper imports.
"The MIP of cardamom...Is fixed at Rs 500 per kg with immediate effect," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.
An importer cannot import the commodity below this rate.
Cardamom growers particularly from Kerala have expressed serious concerns over increasing imports from countries such as Guatemala.
Imports of cardamom (small) increased to 1,110 tonnes in 2013-14 from 95 tonnes in 2009-10.
In a separate notification, the DGFT has banned exports of shark fins.
"Export of shark fins of all species of shark has been prohibited," it said.
According to media reports, as many as 412 sharks have been rescued from Gujarat's western coast.
Shark fin trade is one of the leading contributors to the reduction of the global shark population.
Research has shown India is the world's second-largest shark catching nation and one of the world's largest exporters of shark fins.
Trade reports and undercover investigations have revealed that shark fins are most commonly transported from India to places like Hong Kong, Dubai and China as cargo.
