Cardamom is the third most expensive spice in the world by weight, behind only saffron and vanilla! This sky-high cost is due to a labor-intensive harvesting process and the fact that it's grown in just a few regions globally. Each cardamom pod must be picked by hand (no money-saving automation here) when it's at just the right stage of ripeness. The plants take several years to produce their very first harvest, and each plant yields relatively few pods. In short, this nice spice is a rare treat.