1415-1425 TCXFenugreek

Fenugreek

Madhya Pradesh leads Indian fenugreek production at 113.51 kilotonnes — 51.8% of the national crop — with Rajasthan second at 74.33 kilotonnes.

51.8%

Madhya Pradesh's share

Botanical name: Trigonella foenum-graecum
Known as: Methiमेथी
Origin: Malwa plateau & Rajasthan plains
Harvest: February – March

Golden fenugreek seeds in a wooden mortar

The story

Origin23°11′ N

UjjainMadhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh75°47′ E

In 2023–24 Madhya Pradesh ranked first in fenugreek production with a total output of 113.51 kilotonnes, accounting for 51.8% of India's total. Rajasthan followed with 74.33 kilotonnes, contributing 33.9%.

Fenugreek is the one spice on this list bought for its bitterness. The seed carries a hard, almost burnt-sugar edge that turns aromatic only when it meets heat, which is why it is added early to a tempering and never late.

Beyond the kitchen it moves as a functional ingredient — galactomannan gum, and a steady nutraceutical demand that has grown faster than the culinary trade over the last decade.

[ Why here ]

UjjainMadhya Pradesh

Rabi-season sowing on the black soils of the Malwa plateau and the Rajasthan plains. Cold nights during pod fill concentrate the seed and set the bitterness the trade grades on.

Specification

Measured