Mustard plant is vernacular to Asia and its one of the highly cultivated crop across the globe. It has a variety of uses and is rich in phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidants. They are very much rich in essential oil and is among the third leading source of vegetable oil after palm and soybean oil as per the data revealed by National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX). Mustard plant is a winter crop and requires temperate climate & fertile alluvial soil for its growth. There are two species are known for its condiment value. They are pale yellow or white mustard (Brassica alba), brown and black mustard (Brassica juncea) (Flowers are small, yellow with 4petals, cruciform. Seeds are 1.5-3mm. There is huge potential & demand of mustard seeds in the global market because of its enrichnesss in oil. It has a variety of use in food, Beverage industry, Pharmaceutical Company and many more.
Sowing chart for Mustard Seeds:
Seasonability:
Market Trends:
Consumption of mustard has been steady, and any growth in the market for mustard has a direct relationship to population growth. Japan was the primary export market, followed by Canada and Thailand. All three countries experienced a double-digit decline in mustard purchases.
On the other hand, imports have been increasing steadily. Canada was the main supplier, followed by India.
The major market for yellow mustard is the North American industry which uses the product as a condiment, sauces & pastes. Europe is the major market for brown mustard & they use it as a condiment, often in the form of specialty mustards such as Dijon. Asia is the major market for mustard seeds for use as spicy cooking oil and condiments in almost every recipe.
As per the IOPEPC market report, we had a 4% decline in the production of Indian Mustard Seeds for the year 2017-18. This was however also followed with the decline in the demand for the product across the globe. The Indian mustard production, however, is huge & sufficient to cater to the need of the Asian market. The estimated produce of Mustard crop for the year 2018-19 is expected to be 25,000 MT of which 90% crop is utilized in the country itself for oil making purpose. The rest 10% crop will be available for export across all continents.
The major importing countries for the Indian Mustard seeds are the Asian countries followed by Europe. The Indian Mustard is mainly used for oil extraction. It is not used to make sauce or mustard pastes owing to its slightly bitter taste. Considering this trend we expect the Indian crop will be able to fulfill the global demands. The Indian government lately has analyzed the global mustard demand & accordingly is taking measures to improve the quality of seeds so that they are compatible to the taste as required in different cuisines. A lot of research is been carried out on this topic & we expect to gain some thoughtful insights that would boost the Indian mustard seed production for exports.
