Sal Seed Market Report India: 2026 Season
India's 2026 sal seed season saw a smaller crop, a sharp early price spike and heavy processor buying. Our report covers collection by state, prices, procurement and the outlook for the 2027 crop.
Collection falls as Jharkhand's crop slumps
India collected about 109 KMT of sal seed in 2026, down from 126 KMT. Jharkhand, the largest producer in 2025, fell 59%. Strong on-bearing crops in Odisha (+39%) and Chhattisgarh (+40%) only partly offset the decline.
Prices spiked before settling
Aggressive stocking and trader quotes above processors' buying levels pushed prices from ₹25/kg in late May to ₹45/kg in early July. Quality issues in August and cautious processor buying brought prices back to around ₹35/kg by early September.
Good rains support tree growth
Odisha and Chhattisgarh received above-normal July rainfall, supporting soil moisture and vegetative growth. However, sal's alternate-bearing cycle remains the main driver of next year's seed output.