The Great Spice Row: Why Rajasthan Farmers Are In Arms Over Gujarat’s Unjha GI Tag For Cumin and Fennel

A bitter cross-border turf war has erupted between Gujarat and Rajasthan over two of India’s most essential kitchen staples cumin (jeera) and fennel (saunf). What began as a celebration in Gujarat following the Geographical Indication (GI) tag awarded to ‘Unjha Jeera’ and ‘Unjha Fennel’ has triggered fierce resistance across the border in Rajasthan. Farming communities and agricultural groups in Rajasthan claim the coveted intellectual property status unfairly credits Gujarat for produce that, in reality, is largely grown on Rajasthani soil.

A Tag and a Rift

The controversy flared up shortly after the Geographical Indications Registry granted official GI status to Unjha’s cumin and fennel, a move hailed by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel as a milestone for the state’s agricultural export identity. The recognition was designed to protect the unique brand value of Unjha's seed spices in international markets, where Gujarat accounts for nearly 80 percent of India’s seed spice exports.

However, the announcement met immediate pushback from growers in neighbouring Rajasthan. Farmers from key spice-producing districts like Barmer, Jalore, Nagaur, and Jodhpur argue that Unjha, a bustling town in North Gujarat’s Mehsana district, is primarily a massive trading and processing hub rather than the primary cultivation heartland for these crops.

Grown in Rajasthan, Branded in Gujarat?

At the core of the dispute lies the distinction between cultivation and commerce. Rajasthan stands as one of India's largest producers of cumin and fennel, with thousands of acres dedicated to seed spice farming. Due to the proximity and established market infrastructure, a massive portion of Rajasthan's harvest is transported daily to the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandi in Unjha.

Once the raw spices arrive in Unjha, local traders clean, grade, process, and package them for domestic sale and global export. Rajasthan’s farming leaders contend that granting a GI tag exclusively tied to Unjha misrepresents the geographic origin of the crop. They fear that rural growers in Rajasthan will be stripped of their fair share of brand equity, leaving them at the mercy of Gujarat's market operators who now hold legal monopoly over the 'Unjha' name.

The Power of the Unjha Mandi

Defending the GI tag, trade bodies and authorities in Gujarat point to Unjha’s irreplaceable role in the spice value chain. The application was backed by concerted efforts from the Unjha APMC, the Gujarat Department of Horticulture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII).
Proponents argue that Unjha represents an integrated ecosystem. Beyond mere trading, the region has developed specialized processing techniques, rigorous quality control standards, and international supply links over decades. In their view, the distinct aroma, purity, and grade that global buyers associate with Unjha spices stem directly from the post-harvest expertise and micro-climatic handling developed in the region.

What Is at Stake for India’s Spice Economy?

The showdown highlights a recurring dilemma in India's GI framework: how to balance the rights of primary cultivators with the commercial influence of major processing hubs. With legal objections being prepared by farmer groups in Rajasthan, the dispute could force the GI Registry to re-examine how regional ownership is defined for agricultural commodities that cross state borders before reaching the consumer.

As both states dig in their heels, the outcome will set a vital precedent for how India protects its indigenous agricultural produce on the global stage.