Good Agriculture Practices key to get better price

Guntur: Horticulture Commissioner Chiranjeevi Chowdary urged the chilli farmers to get global Good Agriculture Practices certificate to get a better price in the international market for chilli.

He addressed a meeting held in the Guntur Mirchi Yard to create awareness on how to get Good Agriculture Practices certificates to export chillis. This meeting was jointly conducted by Spices Board, Guntur Mirchi Yard, NABARD, Global GAP. 

Chiranjeevi Chowdary said horticulture and spices would help the farmers to get the GAP certificate from international agencies. He stressed on the need to reduce use of fertilizers and pesticides to get export orders. 

He said that in order to get a better price, the farmers have to use less fertilizers and pesticides. He further said, “Our chillis contain more pesticide residues and that is why we are not getting more export orders.” 

He said that due to lack of awareness, the farmers were using more fertilizers to get more yield. The importing countries were testing the quality of chillis. He said based on the quality, they would fix the price. 

Guntur Mirchi Yard chairman Mannava Subba Rao said that they set up a platform in the Mirchi Yard to sell organic produce to get a better price to the farmers. 

He stressed on need to follow good agriculture practice to get a better price and explained steps taken by the government to get a better price to the chilli farmers. 

Spices Board official Joji Mathews, farmers from Guntur and Krishna districts were present.