From 'heera' to 'jeera' - the recession tale of a diamond city

Root spice cumin (jeera) trade proved a boon for thousands of entrepreneurs and workers in diamond business in Surat who lost their jobs during global recession.

Battered by global meltdown starting 2007, thousands of diamond traders and workers in the "diamond city" switched over to trade in jeera (cumin) which on the contrary saw a rise during the period, M M Anwar, Director, NRCSS, Ajmer, said.

Set up in 2000, the Ajmer based National Research Centre on Seed Spices (NRCSS) is an arm of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). With a huge additional manpower falling on cumin, the output of the prime root spice and its export saw a considerable increase, Anwar said narrating the success story of the commodity.

"Cumin cultivation was seen as potential enterprises which can take place of heera (diamond) and it proved successful," the NRCSS Director said. Cumin production in the country increased from 1.29 lakh tonnes in 2006-07 to 1.72 lakh tonnes in 2007-08 mainly due to the above mentioned factor, Anwar added.  

Rajasthan and Gujarat are the main producing states of cumin and other root spices and hence known as "spices bowl of the country." Enhanced production and shift of entrepreneurs from diamond to cumin resulted in jump in export of the commodity.

The export of cumin, which is a major ingredient of mixed spices powder and curry powder mixes, rose from Rs 291 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 544 crore in value terms during 2008-09, according to the government data. The same increased to Rs 548 crore in 2009-10.

Cumin's international shipment witnessed a zoom during global meltdown period compared to the earlier period. The leap in export after 2007-08 was huge considering the fact that it was worth Rs 260 crore during 2006-07 fiscal.

Indian cumin is sold at $3.75 a kg in New York in April this year higher from $3.26/kg during corresponding period last year, according to statistics of Spices Board of India under ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Cumin is selling at a high price of Rs 280 per kg in retail in the national capital at present.