Cumin seed shortage seen at 3 mn quintals

The country is set to see a cumin seed shortage of 3 million quintals due to higher consumption and lower production.

The carryover stock of 6 lakh bags from the last three-four years is set to fully exhaust this year. With the estimated output decline of 25 per cent to 13 lakh bags (1 bag = 60kg)due to the delayed monsoon, the total cumin seed supply is likely to touch 19 lakh against the total demand of 24 lakh bags.

The total demand comprises consumption (17 lakh bags), export (4 lakh bags) and country-wide carryover stocks (3 lakh bags), according to a plant survey research by KCSL.

The report said the carryover stock of Saurashtra, Kutch and North Gujarat for 2006-07 is projected to remain nil as consumption is expected to remain at par with production due to late sowing.

Saurashtra, Gujarat, is the highest producing region for jeera, followed by Rajasthan. The output in Rajasthan is expected to remain low (up to 40 per cent) because of crop diversion to other commodities such as wheat and chana.

Late sowing of the crop coupled unfavourable climate have led to lower yield than estimated. Apart from growing in a mild-cool climate with temperature in the range of 20-25ºC, the crop is also sensitive to weather patterns such as erratic monsoons, excess dew formation, etc. that can affect its productivity.

The report said that unexpected rains in February damaged the Rajasthan crop heavily. The Rabi crop is sown in November just after Diwali and the crop is harvested in February.