Spice Production Likely to Decline in Gujarat

06-Feb-2026 07:47 PM

Rajkot. In Gujarat, a leading producer of Rabi season spice crops, production is expected to decline slightly this year due to reduced sowing area and unfavorable weather conditions.

It is worth noting that cumin, coriander, and fennel are the main spices produced during the Rabi season, while turmeric and red chili are cultivated during the Kharif season.

Turmeric and red chili are primarily produced in states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

According to official data, compared to the 2024-25 season, the area under cumin cultivation in Gujarat during the 2025-26 season decreased from 476,537 hectares to 408,199 hectares (a drop of 68,338 hectares),

the area under coriander decreased from 130,731 hectares to 126,470 hectares (a drop of 4,261 hectares), the area under fennel decreased from 57,206 hectares to 48,945 hectares (a drop of 8,261 hectares), and the area under isabgol decreased from 27,488 hectares to 17,284 hectares.

A significant decline of 10,204 hectares was recorded in the area under isabgol. This data is as of February 2nd.

Besides Gujarat, Rajasthan also has significant cultivation of these spice crops. Generally, the area under spice crops in Rajasthan is larger than in Gujarat, but due to lower yield rates, the total production is higher in Gujarat.

A decline of about 10 percent in the area under cumin cultivation is also being reported in Rajasthan. Coriander is produced in Gujarat and Rajasthan, as well as in Madhya Pradesh.

Due to less attractive domestic market prices, farmers focused less on spice crops this year and instead increased the area under crops like wheat, gram, and mustard.

The arrival of early-sown spice crops is expected to pick up in the coming weeks. Cumin exports are performing poorly, and fennel shipments are also declining.