660 farmers get global certificates for chillies

Guntur: For the first time in the state, 660 chilli farmers of Guntur and Prakasam districts gotGlobal Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) certificates from the DNV global organisation for their quality production. 

Farmers, who adoptbest agriculture practices, minimise use of fertilisersand pesticides and produce quality chillies as per international standards, will get this certification. This tag is useful to export chillies and helpful to get a better price in the international market. 

Following efforts of the Spices Board and Union ministry of commerce,the farmers got GAP certification. According to officials in the Species Board, though farmers are producing chillies, they are not meeting international standards to get export orders.

Demand for organic chillies has been increasing in European countries and in the U.S.When our chilli contains more pesticide residues, our farmers are not getting export orders. 

Following suggestions of the Spices Board, the farmers are using best agriculture practices to produce quality and producing organic chillis to meet international standards.

When the farmers get GAP certification tag,the importers prefer it. After testing allthe processes of production, the GAP certification will be given to farmers. 

Those who got the GAP Certification will upload theirdetails in the Spices Board website.The chilli importers will see the Spices Board website and give orders.  

Following initiative taken by the Spices Board, the farmers who adopted best agriculture practices  like use of cow dung, cow urine  (in stead of pesticide), and implemented best practices got this certification. Deputy director of Spices Board  DrSrikanthanThampi said  “Global GAP certification is useful to get export orders. Chillies produced as per international standards  will get this tag.

The farmers who is having this tag for will  get premium  price  for their  chillies in the international market.As many as 52 farmers producing curry leaves also got this certification. Demandfor organic curry leaves   also increasing.  We are imparting training to the farmers in Prattipadu,Tullur in Guntur district, Ballikurava in Prakasam district, Agiripalli in  Krishna district to produce organic  curry leave to get export orders.’’