Dip in yield ups prices of chillies

Guntur: Byadagi and Teja varieties of chillies are being sold at Rs 10,000 to Rs 10,500 per quintal. Last year the above varieties were sold at Rs 7,000 to Rs 7,500 per quintal. The cost went up this year due to reduction in chillies cultivating area in the State and yields.

Similarly, Super Ten and Deluxe varieties of chillies are selling at Rs 7,000 per quintal. If the same situation continues, the price of chillies is expected to increase further as traders export Byadagi and Teja varieties. Generally, farmers cultivate chillies in 3.5 lakh hectares in the State.

However, during this season, they cultivated chillies in 2 lakh hectares. The fall in prices of chillies during the last season forced the farmers to shift to cotton which led to reduction in chillies cultivating area in the State.

Due to attack of Gemini virus, dry spell like conditions, and adverse seasonal conditions and lack of sufficient rains, crop was damaged in the state and as a result the farmers got less yield during this season.

The farmers who secured 25 to 30 quintals per acre during last season, got only 17 to 20 quintals this year resulting in fall in chillies production in the State.

Some innovative farmers from the State went to Madhya Pradesh to take up chillies cultivation as they need not use more fertilisers and pesticides.

However, due to adverse climatic conditions, the chillies crop failed in MP and the farmers got less yield. Position is same in Telangana. When the chillies yield started falling, the traders began offering more price.

Similarly, inferior variety of chillies is available below Rs 7,000 per quintal in the market. Deputy Director of Horticulture Muni Swamy Reddy said, “Chillies cultivating area fell to 63,000 hectares in the district from 85,000 hectares due to fall in prices during the last year.

Gemini virus attacked the crop in Dachepalli, Bollapalli, Sattenapalli, Macherla and some others mandals which led to reduction in yield. However, the farmers got 20 quintals per acre on an average. Some farmers may get more yield, some farmers may get less yield. The crop cutting will pick up in February and March. Adverse seasonal conditions and dry spell also led to less yield.”

An official in the Agriculture Marketing department T Bhaskara Reddy said, “At present Guntur Mirchi Yard is getting 30,000 bags to 40,000 bags of chillies per day. During the same period last year we got 1-lakh bags per day. Due to reduction in production, we are getting less yield. Chillies crop in Madhya Pradesh state also failed due to dry spell and adverse seasonal conditions.

At present Byadagi, Teja varieties are selling at Rs 10,000 to Rs 10,500 per quintal. Depending upon the quality of chillies, the traders are offering the price. “K Sambasiva Rao, a farmer in Krosuru said, “ I have raised chillies gardens in three acres and got 25% less yield during this season due to dry spell like conditions, lack of sufficient rains and pest attack.

Every year I get 25 quintals this year I got 20 quintals. Some famers got 17 quintals instead of 25 quintals. Due to use of spurious seeds, fake pesticides, some farmers got incurred losses and removed chillies plants. I have been incurring losses for the last three years.”

By V L Syam Sundar