Cumin Acreage Likely to Decline This Rabi on Weak Prices, Export Demand Remains Subdued

Dec 16, 2025: Ahmedabad/Jodhpur: India’s cumin (jeera) acreage is expected to decline during the current rabi season, as farmers cut back sowing in response to weak prices and muted export demand, particularly from China and Bangladesh, market participants said. Sowing of cumin, which began earlier than usual this year due to the early onset of winter, has so far remained below last year’s levels in the key producing states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. According to the latest crop sowing data released by the Gujarat Agriculture Department, cumin has been planted on about 3.24 lakh hectares in Gujarat as of December 15, a decline of nearly 14% compared with 3.76 lakh hectares during the same period last year. The normal cumin acreage in the State stands at around 3.81 lakh hectares. Stakeholders noted that a similar trend is emerging in Rajasthan, India’s second-largest cumin-producing state, where farmers are also trimming sowing due to limited price incentives. “Cumin area will be down this year as prices are weak,” said Dinesh Soni, a spices trader and exporter at Shree Shyam International, Jodhpur. “Though prices rose by about ₹20–25 per kg recently, there was a correction of nearly ₹10 per kg. As a result, acreage in Gujarat could fall by around 25%, while Rajasthan may see a decline of 10–15%.” Despite the lower sowing outlook, traders remain cautiously optimistic due to ample carry-forward stocks, estimated at around 18–20 lakh bags, which are expected to cushion any sharp supply tightness in the near term. Market analysts said that unless export demand revives strongly in the coming months, cumin prices are likely to remain under pressure, influencing farmers’ planting decisions and shaping the overall supply scenario for the 2025 season.