The sowing of fennel in India for the upcoming season is expected to be low due to the high production in the current season, which resulted in limited prices and lower profits for producers. This situation has led farmers to reduce the area dedicated to fennel sowing.

Gujarat and Rajasthan, which are the major producers of fennel, have reported a decrease in sowing areas. In Gujarat, sowing for the 2024 season was done on 1.23 lakh hectares, while Rajasthan's sowing was limited to 58-59 thousand hectares, which is significantly lower compared to previous seasons.

Overall, the total sowing area for fennel in the producing states for 2024 is expected to be around 1.95 lakh hectares, a substantial increase from the 90-91 thousand hectares sown in 2023.

While the production of fennel in 2024 reached a record 38-39 lakh bags (each bag weighs 55 kg), this surplus supply caused prices to remain low, limiting the income for farmers. However, the situation has led to an increase in fennel exports.

From April to September 2024, fennel exports amounted to 53,167.47 tonnes, generating revenue of Rs 493.25 crore, significantly higher than the previous year's export of 22,352.12 tonnes, which earned Rs 378.47 crore.

The reduced sowing, coupled with higher export demand, has created an optimistic outlook for fennel prices. Currently, the price of average-quality fennel is around Rs 65-80 per kg, and it is expected to rise to Rs 75-90 per kg before the arrival of the new crop in February-March 2025.