Nutmeg and mace are two separate spices found in the same fruit. Both have long been valued for their fragrance, flavor, and medicinal properties. India is the lead consumer of nutmeg as well as one of the top global suppliers. One Indian town, Pollachi, has found ways to create some of the best-quality mace and nutmeg while effectively cutting out middlemen and selling directly to buyers. A kilogram of its mace sells for around $50 — more costly than mace from India's lead producer, Kerala, which sells for $35 per kilogram, and the US, at $9 per kilogram. So what makes Pollachi's nutmeg and mace so special? And why are they so expensive? 0:00 - Intro 1:28 - Meet the Picker 2:43 - The Nutmeg Fruit 3:18 - Dangerous fire ants 4:03 - Washing 4:56 - Separating Mace from Nutmeg 6:21 - Drying 7:03 - East Indian nutmeg vs West Indies nutmeg 7:35 - Meet the Farmer 7:56 - First-class Pollachi Nutmeg 8:42- Pollachi Mace compared to others 8:51 Secret techniques 9:07 Bit by ants! 9:40 Cutting out the middleman 10:15 Struggle of Global farmers 10:45 Success of the Cooperative WATCH MORE SO EXPENSIVE VIDEOS: Why 11 Of The World's Priciest Items Are So Expensive | So Expensive Season 11 | Insider Business https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl61j2agkCQ Why Louis Vuitton And Tom Ford Spend Up To $15,000 For One Kilo Of Bulgarian Rose Oil | So Expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26pEG7Ghgpg How Chinese Demand For Fish Maw (Swim Bladder) Fuels A $52 Million Industry In Uganda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pCDAnQH84o ------------------------------------------------------ Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com/ Insider Business on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/businessinsider Insider Business on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insiderbusiness Insider Business on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/businessinsider Insider Business on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Business_Insider/5319643143 Insider Business on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessinsider How Farmers In One Indian Village Crafted The Most Expensive Nutmeg and Mace | So Expensive | Business Insider