Kishmish is priced on the grape it came from and the care taken drying it. Long, pale, evenly sorted raisins cost more than small ones, and sun-dried black kishmish is priced on its own line. Grape crop, colour, stem removal and moisture all count. Today’s rate per pack is in the panel below.
What changes the price of kishmish?
Length and size come first. The long, slim, pale green raisins are sorted out of a lot and priced above the short and round ones, simply because they look better in a bowl and there are fewer of them. Colour is next. An even, bright lot is worth more than a patchy one that runs from green to brown.
Then the details nobody thinks about. Stems and grit have to be cleaned out, and a lot that arrives properly de-stemmed costs more than one you will pick through at home. Moisture matters too: a plump, soft raisin is a better raisin, but it is also harder to hold through a humid month. Last, the grape crop itself. A short season lifts everything on the shelf.
Long kishmish, kali dakh and the seedless sort
Long kishmish is what most people mean at a counter: slim, pale green to golden, mildly sweet, the raisin that goes into pulao and kheer. Black kishmish, kali dakh, is dried darker and tastes deeper and tangier. The small round seedless sort is the sweetest and the handiest, and it is what most homes keep for baking.
Munakka is a different thing again, larger, darker and usually with seeds, and it is sold and priced separately. If the names are running together, our notes on kishmish, munakka and dakh and on black raisins keep them apart.
| Type | Size and colour | Texture and taste | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long kishmish | Slim and long, pale green to golden | Soft, mildly sweet | Pulao, kheer, serving in a bowl |
| Black kishmish (kali dakh) | Medium, dark brown to near black | Chewier, deeper and a little tart | Soaking overnight, eating on its own |
| Seedless round | Small, round, golden brown | Soft and sweetest of the three | Baking, laddoo, lunch boxes |
| Munakka | Large, dark, wrinkled, usually seeded | Fleshy, rich, mildly sour skin | Soaking, kadha, cooking |
Is black kishmish better than the green kind?
It is a different raisin rather than a better one, and the rate reflects supply rather than quality. Kali dakh is dried darker, so it keeps a stronger, tangier flavour and a firmer chew, which is why people who soak raisins overnight tend to prefer it. The long green sorting looks better on a plate and behaves better in cooking, where you want the raisin to stay pale and plump. Keep whichever suits how you eat them, or a small pack of each.
How to judge a lot before you buy
Look for even colour, few stems and no clumping. Raisins should be soft enough to press but not sticky, and the pack should smell fruity rather than sharp. Sugar crystals on the surface are harmless. Avoid a lot that has dried hard, or one that has gone to a solid block, which is the sign of moisture getting in and out again. Today’s shelf is on our kishmish and dakh page.
Where we send it
We weigh kishmish to order at our counter in Rajasthan, so it does not sit open. Jaipur is usually 1-3 days, Indore, Pune and Mumbai 2-4, and Kolkata 4-6. Across the country, orders start at ₹1,000 and every order ships free, and raisins are a good way to round a mixed order up to it.
Questions people ask
What is the price of 1 kg kishmish?
It moves with the grape crop and the season, and the three types move separately. The panel above shows today’s rate for each type and pack size, and a kilo works out at roughly the pack rate for the one you pick.
Why are long kishmish dearer than round ones?
Because they are sorted for length and there are fewer of them in any lot. The taste difference is small; the difference on a plate is not, and that is what the sorting charges for.
Should kishmish be washed before use?
A quick rinse does no harm and many homes prefer it. Pat them dry before storing them again, because a damp raisin going back into a sealed box is how a whole pack turns into a block.
How long do raisins keep?
Months in an airtight box away from heat, and longer in the fridge. They lose softness before they lose flavour, so if a pack has stiffened, ten minutes in warm water brings it back for cooking.
Today’s rate for something else: Kaju · Badam · Mamra badam · Anjeer · Akhrot · Khajur · Makhana · Pista · Charoli
