The article discusses the impact of the previous year's record fennel production on the sowing area and pricing in the current season. Due to a surplus of fennel last year, farmers in major producing states like Gujarat and Rajasthan have reduced sowing, which has led to a decrease in the total sown area.
Here are the key points highlighted:
Sowing Area Reduction:
- In Gujarat, fennel was sown on 57,163 hectares in the current season, a significant drop from 133,000 hectares last year.
- In Rajasthan, the sowing area is estimated to be 60-65% of the previous year’s area.
Production Decrease:
- Last year, India produced 38-40 lakh bags of fennel, whereas in 2023, production was reduced to 20-21 lakh bags.
Price Fluctuations:
- The price of fennel dropped significantly in 2024 due to increased production. In January 2024, the price of average quality fennel in Unjha Mandi was Rs 110-125 per kg, but it has now dropped to Rs 70-85 per kg.
- The export price also fell, from Rs 125-126 per kg in January 2024 to Rs 65-67 per kg.
Export Surge:
- Despite the lower prices, there has been a significant increase in fennel exports. Exports surged by 148% in 2024, with 59,830.98 tonnes exported from April to October, compared to 24,091.58 tonnes in the same period in 2023.
- The 2024 export volume is already a record, surpassing the previous peak of 40,139 tonnes in 2021-22.
This combination of lower sowing and higher exports highlights the market dynamics driven by both supply and demand factors in the fennel industry.