Mehsana exports ₹3,995 crore worth of cumin & other spices during FY25

AHMEDABAD : Cumin, Isabgol and fennel seeds were among the ₹3995 crore worth of spice seeds that were exported from Mehsana in Gujarat during financial year 2024-25.

Of the total exports, 25 per cent of the spices was shipped to China and an additional 16 per cent made its way to Bangladesh, figures shared by the Gujarat government stated.

The same year 10 per cent of the total exports were to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), five percent to the United States and an additional four percent to Morocco.

Spice seeds are aromatic, dried seeds of plants that sown in abundance in the North Gujarat region and are used to add aroma and flavour to food. Between February 15 and April 10, 2025, the Unjha APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) in Mehsana district recorded 54,410 tonnes of cumin arrivals.

These arrivals were 17.5 per cent more than the 46,313 toones of arrivals during the same period last year.

The Unjha APMC is one of the biggest regulated market and it a well known commercial centre throughout India for its trade of spice seeds like Cumin (Jeera), Fennel Seeds (Variali), psyllium husk (Isabgol), and Mustard seeds (Raido).

There are over 800 firms that are involved in the exports and trade of cumin and other spice seeds at Unjha. The exports of cumin and other spice seeds from Mehsana grew by over 42 per cent from ₹2904 crore (about $361.67 million) in 2022-23 to ₹4127 crore ($498.95 million) during 2023-24.

However, the exports declined slightly by three per cent to ₹3395 crore in 2024-25. Adverse weather conditions last year had impacted the cumin production and exports during FY 25, said officials.

Typically these spice seeds are sown in small and big farms during autumn and are harvested during the months of February and March. During last Rabi season, cumin was sown on 4.76 lakh hectares which was 25 per cent more than the three-year sowing average of the state.

Similarly, fennel was sown in 57000 hectares, while isabgol was sown in 27000 hectares. According to the officials from the agriculture department of the state government, a good monsoon this year will provide a fillip to the sowing area under spices.