Fennel production likely to decrease due to less sowing and adverse weather

28-Feb-2025 04:10 PM

The production of fennel is expected to decrease in the 2024-25 Rabi season due to several factors, including less sowing and adverse weather conditions.

Key producing states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh have experienced a decline in the area sown with fennel, which is likely to impact the overall production.

The weather has not been favorable, with high temperatures, increasing heat, and a lack of rainfall, all of which are expected to negatively affect both the yield and quality of fennel in many areas.

Nationally, fennel production is estimated to fall to around 28-30 lakh bags (each weighing 55 kg) in the current season.

Early arrivals of new fennel have already begun, but they are significantly lower compared to last year. For example, in Gujarat's Unjha market, the daily arrival of fennel is about 2,500 to 3,000 bags, compared to 5,000 bags during the same period last year.

In Rajasthan, the fennel crop is still in the development stage, and it will take 25-30 days for the new supply to start arriving. The crop there is reported to be in normal or slightly weak condition.

In Madhya Pradesh, due to delayed sowing, the fennel crop is ripening later than usual, and only limited quantities are being sent to the Indore market.

As the season progresses, more fennel is expected to arrive from these states, which might initially put downward pressure on prices. However, prices are expected to stabilize and even strengthen later in the season.

The decrease in fennel acreage in Gujarat and Rajasthan can also be attributed to the fluctuating prices during the 2023-24 season, which ranged from Rs 500 to Rs 800 per quintal.

These price fluctuations likely influenced farmers' decisions to reduce fennel cultivation in the current season