Rajasthan Farmers Challenge Gujarat’s Unjha GI Tags for Cumin and Fennel

Farmers in Rajasthan have raised strong objections to the Geographical Indication (GI) tags recently granted to ‘Unjha Jeera’ and ‘Unjha Fennel.’ These tags were registered on March 28 by the GI Registry in Chennai in the name of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) of Unjha in Gujarat. Rajasthan's cultivators argue that Unjha is merely a trading and marketing hub, not a primary production centre. They contend that the bulk of the produce sold in Unjha actually originates from Rajasthan’s fields. Farmers fear that the GI recognition will allow Gujarat traders to brand Rajasthan's produce as inferior, potentially depressing market prices for the actual growers.

Data for the 2024-25 season supports the farmers' claims regarding production volumes. Rajasthan emerged as India’s largest producer of jeera (cumin), recording 6.89 lakh tonnes, significantly higher than Gujarat’s 4.72 lakh tonnes. In contrast, Gujarat leads in saunf (fennel) production. Despite Rajasthan's dominance in cumin cultivation, Mehsana district—where Unjha is located—produced only 149 tonnes of cumin from a mere 174 hectares. Critics argue that a GI tag should be based on unique qualities linked to the place of production rather than its reputation as an aggregation or export center. The Maru Laxmi Cumin Farmers Producer Company has specifically warned that this registration undermines the efforts of thousands of Rajasthani women farmers.

The Unjha APMC defends the GI tags, claiming the region was a pioneer in cultivation and that the unique environment of the notified Gujarat districts imparts distinct qualities to the spices. However, agricultural experts point out that the applications relied heavily on Unjha's status as a premier trading site. For farmers in Rajasthan, Unjha remains the preferred market due to its high volume of international exporters, even though closer markets like Jodhpur and Merta exist. The dispute highlights a growing tension in India’s agricultural policy between historical trading brands and the legal protections afforded to modern production hubs. The outcome may set a precedent for how GI tags are awarded to market committees versus farmer cooperatives.