Cumin Prices Soften Amid Limited Domestic and Export Demand

12-May-2026 05:51 PM

Rajkot: Despite a decline in domestic production and reduced supplies at Gujarat's benchmark Unjha mandi, cumin prices are failing to gain momentum due to weak domestic and export demand. Harvesting operations in top-producing states like Gujarat and Rajasthan have not yet fully concluded; however, in light of sluggish market prices, growers have already begun withholding their stocks.

Notably, a leading industry body—the Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders (FISS)—has projected a 15 percent decline in domestic cumin production during the current season, while traders in Gujarat anticipate a drop of 25 percent. Given the limited carry-over stock from the previous season, prices were expected to firm up; however, the market currently appears somewhat sluggish.

Due to robust production within China, importers there are showing very little interest in purchasing Indian cumin—a stark contrast to the past, when China was its largest buyer. The arrival of new cumin crops from countries such as Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan is expected to commence in the coming weeks, which could further intensify the challenges facing India in the global market. While Bangladesh continues to purchase cumin in limited quantities, exports to Arab nations have come to a near standstill.