Export Demand May Push Cumin Prices Higher

07-Apr-2025 06:05 PM

Rajkot: With clear weather in major producing states Gujarat and Rajasthan, the harvesting and supply of cumin has picked up pace.

However, despite the end of the financial year in March, market arrivals remain limited. Farmers in Gujarat and now Rajasthan are holding back stock due to weak prices, while exporters and domestic traders are actively purchasing.

India remains the largest supplier of cumin globally. In contrast, Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan are seeing delays in their new crops, with old stocks nearly exhausted and export prices rising. Demand from China and Gulf countries is also increasing, supported by the high quality of Indian cumin this year.

Although the sowing area for cumin fell by 15% in Gujarat and 10–15% in Rajasthan, favorable weather has boosted yields, keeping overall production close to last year’s level.

In Unjha Mandi, daily arrivals have halved from a record 70–72 thousand bags to 35–37 thousand, and may remain low as Rajasthan producers release stock slowly.

This limited supply and strong export demand have recently pushed prices up by ₹400 per 20 kg, with further improvement expected.