Extracts and oleoresins are made all year from dried raw material, so you can buy them in any month. What the harvest decides is the raw material behind them: how much of it there is, what it costs, and how fresh it is. The weeks after a new crop arrives usually offer the widest choice; the months before the next harvest are when the old crop runs thin.
The windows below are typical for India and move with sowing dates, rainfall and region from year to year. Wild-collected material follows its own season.
Calendar
Typical Harvest Windows
Dark cells mark the usual harvest months. Light cells mean year-round supply.
| Botanical | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Main regions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwagandha root | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan | ||||||||||||
| Shatavari root | Central and western India; cultivated and wild | ||||||||||||
| Turmeric | Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu | ||||||||||||
| Chilli | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka | ||||||||||||
| Black pepper | Kerala, Karnataka | ||||||||||||
| Ginger | Kerala, Karnataka, North-East India | ||||||||||||
| Cumin | Gujarat, Rajasthan | ||||||||||||
| Coriander | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat | ||||||||||||
| Fennel | Gujarat, Rajasthan | ||||||||||||
| Fenugreek | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh | ||||||||||||
| Mustard seed | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh | ||||||||||||
| Amla | Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat | ||||||||||||
| Garcinia fruit | Western Ghats: Karnataka, Kerala | ||||||||||||
| Boswellia gum resin | Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan | ||||||||||||
| Tulsi leaf | Several cuttings, mainly after the monsoon | ||||||||||||
| Moringa leaf | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh; year-round |
Planning
Turning the Calendar Into a Buying Plan
- Annual volumes on root and rhizome crops such as ashwagandha, turmeric and ginger are easiest to plan once the January to March harvest is in.
- Seed spices (cumin, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, mustard) come in from February to April, so oleoresin and seed contracts are often set in spring.
- Several botanicals in one formula? Their seasons rarely line up. A consolidated supply plan lets each ingredient be bought at its own best point while you deal with one supplier.
- Ask for the crop year of the lot you are offered, especially for spices where freshness affects volatile oil and colour.
Further Reading