Cumin is an annual herbaceous plant native to Eastern Mediterranean region and is popularly used for food flavoring, aroma. The seeds of the plant are used in whole or powdered form in food processing industry.


Forms of Cumin

• Whole Cumin seeds
• Powdered Cumin seeds
• Cumin Essential Oil

Trade in Cumin Spice
Global Scenario
India and Egypt are the largest cumin production regions. Cumin seeds is also produced in Iran, Syria and Turkey but only for exports. The global consumption of cumin seeds is quite low. US, UK, Japan, Brazil are the major cumin seeds importing countries. Both whole seeds and powdered seeds are internationally traded. Cumin essential oil is also becoming popular in the western hemisphere.

Indian Scenario
India is the largest producer and consumer of cumin. The annual production ranged between 1.5 lakh metric tonnes to 2 lakh metric tonnes. The seeds are exported to Japan, Brazil, US, UK, UAE etc. Rajasthan and Gujarat are the two main producing areas of cumin, contributing 90% to the total cumin production. A significant percentage of the total production is used for domestic consumption.

Uses of Cumin
Cumin is widely used in traditional and herbal medicinal system for being a natural stimulant, carminative and having antimicrobial properties.

• It is also used for flavoring dishes, biscuits, confectionery and other spicy products.
• It is also used in different industries for its essential oil.