Jeera farmers expect a good crop despite delayed sowing

Kochi: Despite delayed sowing, copious rainfall in Gujarat and Rajasthan promises a good crop of cumin or jeera, the second-largest exported single spice from India, provided the weather remains conducive till the harvest.

Wet conditions due to excess rainfall in these states, which account for virtually the entire cumin output in the country, resulted in the sowing of the spice getting postponed by about a month to mid-December.

“Once the weather cleared, farmers started sowing aggressively. We are expecting around 20 per cent rise in the acreage in Gujarat,’’ said Jay Chandarana, CEO of Dhaval Agri Exports. The crop prospects in Rajasthan are also robust. “The production should be 15 per cent to 25 per cent higher than in last year in the state,’’ said Nimesh Vohra, an exporter.


As the sowing was delayed, the harvest will also get extended to March instead of the usual February, according to the exporters. Inclement weather could, however, put a damper on the output.

“Good weather in January will be crucial for the crop. Recent locust attack in Rajasthan may also hit sowing,’’ said U Karthik, partner of Asian Spices.

Rain shortfall led to a 12 per cent drop in cumin output to 6,07,972 tonnes in the last harvest in early 2019, Spices Board data showed. Larger production in the previous year took exports to new heights in 2018-19 at 1,80,300 tonnes, an increase of 25 per cent year-on-year. Export earnings rose 19 per cent to a new peak of about ₹2,885 crore. First half of the current year also saw an increase in export volumes by 6%. But the shipments were hit after September with the government withdrawing export benefits under merchandise export of India scheme (MEIS). It was resumed this month and will continue till December 31.

Export demand continues to be strong, which along with expected delayed sowing and harvest has kept the prices at a high level. The January contract for delivery at NCDEX hovered around ₹164 per kg on Thursday after falling to ₹158 per kg earlier this month.