Planting of cumin (Jeera), a key seed spice crop, has been delayed in the key producing states of Gujarat and Rajasthan on weather issues.
Higher day temperatures in the past few weeks has impacted the seeding of jeera and has also led to poor germination in various places.
However, with the likelihood of the sowing window getting stretched till December 20, there is a possibility of farmers taking up resowing of the seed spices crop, sources said.
In Gujarat, the largest producing State, jeera seeding has taken place in only 57,915 hectares till November 25 during the rabi 2024-25 cropping season as compared to corresponding last year’s 2.44 lakh ha.
Of the normal cropping area of over 3.81 lakh ha for jeera in Gujarat, only 15 per cent has been covered till now, as per the state agriculture department data.
The scene is not very different in Rajasthan, the second largest producing State.
Tejus Gandhi, Secretary of Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders, the apex trade body for seed spices, said the sowing of jeera has been delayed by 20-25 days due to higher temperatures in the recent days.
However, it is slowly picking up, Gandhi said.
“The acreages are expected to be good this year. There could be a gain in area in Rajasthan, while the acreages in Gujarat are likely to be 80-90 per cent of last year’s levels. A section of farmers growing fennel could shift to jeera this year as the realisations were not good,” Gandhi said.
Bhagirath Chaudhary, Founder Director, South Asia Biotechnology Centre in Jodhpur said the higher day temperatures in Rajasthan have impacted the germination of jeera and also mustard in some areas. Farmers, who faced germination issues with the sown rabi crops, may take up re-sowing of jeera as the sowing window can be extended till December 20th, Chaudhary said.
Also, a section of isabgol growers could divert to jeera, he added.
The ideal time for jeera sowing is from late October to mid-November. “Weather has not been supportive to sowing this year and there were germination issues across the key producing areas of Rajasthan such as Jaisalmer, Falodi and Nagore among other districts.
However, temperatures are coming down now and the sowing is seen picking up” said Dinesh Soni of Shree Shyam International, a spices trader and jeera exporter in Jodhpur. As the sowing is delayed by 20-25 days, an extended winter would benefit the crop, he added.
Jeera March 2025 contract was down 2 per cent at Rs 24720 on NCDEX on Wednesday, while the spot prices were hovering around Rs 24,881.
India’s cumin seed production increased to 8.6 lakh tonnes from an area of over 11.87 lakh ha during 2023-24 as per the Spices Board data.
In the previous year jeera production stood at 5.77 lakh tonnes from an area of over 9.37 lakh ha.