Agriculture Products

Coriander is one of the oldest herbs and Whole Spices on record. Coriander Seeds are tan-colour, ribbed, lightweight fruits with subtle flavour that is warm and spicy with a slight hint of citrus flavour. Coriander spice has an aromatic sent which is soothingly warm, nutty, slightly fruity, and complex. Like other spices coriander is available throughout the year providing a fragrant flavour that is reminiscent of both citrus peel and sage. The fruit of the coriander plant contains two seeds which, when dried, are the portions used as the dried spice. When ripe, the seeds are yellowish-brown in color with longitudinal ridges. Coriander seeds are available whole or in ground powder form.

Health Benefits

• Coriander is my Number 1 gas buster and helps to stimulate the appetite.
• Coriander seed can be used for making a medicinal tea to soothe an upset stomach, to treat indigestion, and mild gastrointestinal upsets.
• Sugar-coated coriander seeds are used as a breath freshener in India.
• Coriander is known to lower blood sugar by stimulating the secretion of insulin. As a matter of fact, it is called an "anti-diabetic" plant.
• It also helps the heart by lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol.
• Coriander's anti-inflammatory properties are used in treating arthritis. Here's a remedy you can use to get relief from the ailment. Boil ground coriander seeds with water and drink the concoction.
• Coriander can also be used to treat bacterial and fungal infections.

Fenugreek has been used as a food, spice and medicine since ancient times. Fenugreek is nature's great boon to mankind. It is an erect, strongly scented, robust, annual herb 30 to 60 cm high. It has compound leaves of light green colour 2 to 2.5 cm long, auxillary yellow flowers and pointed pods, 5 to 7 cm long. The fenugreek leaves are aromatic, cooling and mild aperient. The leaves are popular for their aromatic and unique flavor. Fenugreek has a strong, pleasant and a peculiar odor.

Groundnut is the major oilseed of India. It accounts for around 25% of the total oilseed production of the country. Annual production of Indian Peanuts and Indian Peanuts oil are around 5-8mln and 1.5 mln tons respectively. Peanuts Production is highly vulnerable to rainfall deviations and display huge fluctuation between years.

Regional estimates are Gujarat (1-3.5 million tons), Tamil Nadu (1million tons), Andhra Pradesh (1-2 million tons), Karnataka (0.5 million tons), Maharashtra (0.5 million tons) are the major producers of Peanuts.

Around 75% of the crop is produced in khariff (June - September) and remaining 25% in rabi (November - March). India exported around 100000 tons of groundnut oil in 2003-04 after 4 decades, as crop failed in Senegal and Argentina. Peanuts or Groundnut kernels are approx. 70% of weight in shells and kernels have an oil recovery of 40-42%.

China (2-2.5 million tons), India (1.5-2 million tons) is the major producers of groundnut oil, followed by Sub-Saharan African countries and Central and South America.

Global trade of Peanuts or Groundnut oil is to the maximum of 100000 tons a year. EU and US are major importers. Senegal and Argentina are the major Peanuts exporters.

Factors Influencing Peanuts or Groundnut Markets

• Weather at the major domestic producing centre. The southwest monsoon is the most important factor that determines the area sown, production and prices.
• Price of other competitive oils in India, viz., soy oil, palm oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil and mustard oil.
• International price movement of soy oil at CBOT and palm oil at BMD, Malaysia also influence the groundnut oil prices.
• Festivals and celebrations also increase consumption and the prices.

Mustard Seeds are in the form of tiny round seeds which measures about 2mm in diameter. These seeds created wonders and are one of those condimenrs which have a great potentials in the spices market. Mustered are crops which are grown during the winter season and are a rich source of protein, selenium and oil. Mustard seeds in India have been an important product since ages.

Rapeseed meal, called canola meal in North America, Australia and some other countries, is the by-product of the extraction of oil from rapeseed ( Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa L. and Brassica juncea L., and their crosses). It is a protein-rich ingredient that is widely used to feed all classes of livestock.