Nashik, Maharashtra, India info@nfimpextrading.com

Home / Blog / Spices

A Buyer’s Guide to Indian Spice Grades: Colour, Heat & Purity

NF Impex Trading · March 22, 2026 · 7 min read

India supplies a large share of the world’s spices, and almost every spice is sold against measurable grades rather than a single price. Knowing the numbers lets you buy the right quality instead of overpaying — or under-buying.

Turmeric: it’s about curcumin and colour

Turmeric is graded on curcumin content (typically in the 2–5% range) and brightness of colour. Polished fingers and machine-milled powder are both available; lower moisture and sortex cleaning protect colour in storage.

Red chilli: choose colour or heat

Chilli varieties trade on two axes: ASTA colour value and SHU (Scoville) heat. High-colour Byadgi is prized for extract and appearance; high-heat Teja delivers pungency; Sannam sits in between. Decide whether your product needs colour, heat or both, then specify the variety.

For chilli, “hotter” and “redder” are different orders. ASTA buys colour, SHU buys heat.

Cumin and coriander: purity and aroma

Cumin (jeera) is graded by machine-cleaned purity — 99% or 99.5% — with aroma and oil content driving quality. Coriander trades by variety (Eagle, Single-parrot) and form: whole, split or ground.

Black pepper: pungency and density

Pepper is sold garbled (GL) or ungarbled, by bulk density (commonly 500–600 g/l), with piperine driving pungency. Whole, cracked and ground forms are available.

Whole, ground and packed to you

Most spices ship whole or ground, in consumer packs or 25–50 kg bulk, with private-label options. We sample to your colour, heat, purity and moisture spec before shipment.

SpicesGradesBuyer Guide

Frequently asked questions

How are Indian chillies graded?
Chillies are graded on ASTA colour value and SHU (Scoville) heat. High-colour varieties like Byadgi suit extract and appearance; high-heat Teja delivers pungency; Sannam is mid-range. Whole and ground forms are available.
What purity grades are cumin seeds available in?
Cumin (jeera) is machine-cleaned to 99% or 99.5% purity, in whole seed or ground form, with aroma and oil content driving overall quality.
Do you offer private-label spice packing?
Yes. Whole and ground spices are available in consumer packs and 25–50 kg bulk, with private-label printing and custom grind on request.

Sourcing Spices?

Talk to our team for current grades, packing and availability.

Keep reading

More from the blog

Onions · May 12, 2026

Sourcing Export-Grade Onions in Nashik: From Field to FCL

Why Nashik onions travel so well — and what curing, grading and ventilation packing actually mean for transit loss on a long sea route.

Read article
Rice · Apr 28, 2026

Basmati vs Non-Basmati: Choosing the Right Rice for Your Market

Grain length, ageing, broken percentage and milling style — a practical guide to specifying Indian rice that fits your buyers and your margin.

Read article
Edible Oils · Apr 9, 2026

What Importers Should Check Before Buying Edible Oil in Bulk

FFA, refining grade, packaging integrity and documentation — the short checklist that prevents most edible-oil import disputes.

Read article