Dill is the dried fruit of an annual herb of the parsley family. It has a distinctive but mild caraway-like flavour. A winter crop, dill requires a well-drained, sandy soil with full exposure to sunlight. The sub tropical and temperate regions of India, particularly the northern parts, produce high quality dill. The quality is enhanced by the farmer resorting to organic cultivation. Indian dill is longer, but narrower, than its European counterparts. Indian dill finds extensive use in foods, beverages and medicines. Its essential oil constitutes an important flavouring for the pickles industry. India exports dill (whole as well as its essential oils) to USA, the UK, Canada and Japan.

Dill is the dried fruit of the herb Anethum graveolens, which belongs to the parsley family. Dill seeds are oval-shaped, soft and fluffy and has a pungent and aromatic flavor.

Dill seeds have been used since ancient times. The Romans actually used them as a stimulant for gladiators! Today it is widely used in pickling and in German, Russian, Scandinavian and Indian dishes, salad dressing, soup and the preparation of cottage cheese.