Low acreage, unseasonal rains crimp output

Cumin, an unassuming item of the Indian spice box, appears set to take centre stage as a sharp decline in production in crop season 2021-22 (November-May) drives up its prices to a five-year high.

For the record, cumin is the second-most popular spice in the world after black pepper. Apart from its significance in adding flavour to our cuisines, the spice has been used as a gift to brides and even used to pay taxes, going by folklore.

A crop native to Egypt’s Nile valley and the Eastern Mediterranean, it is now largely produced in four countries — India, Syria, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Today, India accounts for ~70% of the world’s cumin production and is also the largest exporter (30-35% of its production). A shortfall in the country’s output is therefore bound to send up prices globally, too.