Jeera Grows Due to Strong Export Demand and Strict Domestic and International Supplies

New Delhi.Due to tighter domestic and international supply and growing concerns about export demand, Jeera ended the day 1% higher at Rs. 26,325. Expectations of reduced production were reinforced and Indian export demand was bolstered by the scarcity of Syrian cumin and weather-related uncertainty associated with the El Niño phenomena. Concerns about water supply and agricultural productivity were raised when Gujarat designated Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, and Kutch as districts affected by scarcity. Sowing decisions for the next season may be influenced by uncertainty regarding rainfall and soil moisture in important cumin-growing regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

However, predictions of stable-to-higher sowing acreage in Saurashtra and western Rajasthan, profit booking, and farmer selling to generate cash flow ahead of the new season continued to limit upside.

In the face of high prices, spot activity at Unjha remained muted as millers and processors limited purchases to urgent needs. According to industry projections, India’s cumin production could drop from 1.10 crore bags last year to 90–92 lakh bags this season. Gujarat and Rajasthan are expected to produce 42–45 lakh and 48–50 lakh bags, respectively. Due to unfavorable weather, China’s cumin production is forecast to be between 70,000 and 80,000 tonnes, while Syria and Turkey are predicted to produce between 9,000 and 10,000 tonnes and 10,000 and 11,000 tonnes, respectively. In the meantime, India’s exports of cumin fell 19.7% year over year to 11,667 tonnes in August 2026 from 14,532 tons the previous year. Total exports from September 2025 to August 2026 dropped 17.4% to 174,479 tonnes, while cumulative shipments from April to August decreased to 65,128 tonnes from 87,558 tonnes.