In Gujarat, a major producer of coriander, sowing for this spice crop has significantly lagged behind compared to last year.

As the sowing season advances, farmers' enthusiasm for coriander cultivation has waned, leading to a sharp decline in the area being sown.

Official data reveals that the sowing area for coriander has reached only 42,000 hectares, a drastic reduction of 81.28% compared to the 2.23 lakh hectares sown last year.

This lag is especially noticeable in Saurashtra, where coriander sowing had reached over 2.19 lakh hectares by the end of January last year, but only 40,000 hectares have been covered so far.

Similarly, in Central Gujarat, sowing is 80% behind schedule, and in North Gujarat, the area has dropped by 62.5%. Sowing in Kutch has also decreased, although it remains a smaller area for the crop.

Despite this reduction, domestic and export demand for coriander remains steady, and prices have not experienced major fluctuations.

The shift in farmers' priorities seems to be the result of a preference for sowing wheat and gram, crops that are expected to provide a better income compared to coriander, a spice crop.

With the sowing window for coriander closing soon, it is unlikely that farmers will be able to recover the significant shortfall in cultivation this season.