WARANGAL: Giving some respite to the farmers who had been reeling under severe financial crisis due to the heavy rains that battered Telangana during the monsoon, the red chilli prices have risen to a record-level in Warangal district. Though the red chilli from Warangal district has always been famous across the State, now the demand for the crop has risen to a phenomenal level, as a result of which both farmers and traders are making beelines to the Enumamula agriculture market in the district, which is one of the biggest markets in the entire continent.
According to information, the price of the premium ‘Teja’ variety of red chilli has now reached around Rs 18,500 per quintal, which is the highest price commanded by the produce in recent years at the Enumamula market. It should be mentioned that the red chilli crop that have been grown at other parts of the State are yet to be harvested. It is at this time that the farmers from erstwhile Warangal and Khammam districts are arriving at the market with huge loads of red chilies. The soaring prices are attracting the farmers to sell their produce as early as possible and get remunerative income. At a time when the price of ‘Teja’ has touched Rs 18,500 per quintal, the price of ‘Thaalu’ variety chili dropped to Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per quintal, whereas it was sold at Rs 8,000 to Rs 8,500 during this time last year.
Meanwhile, the price of number-341 variety chili has reached Rs 14,500 per quintal, as against Rs 10,500 last year.The price of wonder hot (WH) variety of chilli has also witnessed a major hike as it is currently being sold at Rs 9,000 quintal, as against last year’s price of Rs 6,000.
According to official details, as of Tuesday, around 633 quintals of Teja and 835 quintals of Thaalu have arrived at the Enumamula market and the private traders are already at the forefront, trying to catching their business and exporting the red chilies from the Enumamula market to Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and even foreign countries.
When contacted, Dr E Srinivas, principal scientist at the District Agricultural Advisory and Transfer of Technology Centre (DAATTC) in Warangal, said that the farmers belonging to the erstwhile district have cultivated chilies on about 1,19,807 acres of farmland during this season. Though around five per cent of the crop got damaged due to heavy rains and the spread of twig blight of chilli caused by choanephora, the hike in demand would help them overcome the situation, he added.
According to traders and exporters, the rise in the chilli prices during the beginning of the harvest season is a good sign and noted that the demand for the chilies grown in Warangal have gone considerably up in other states and even foreign countries.
Speaking to Express, Enumamula agriculture market secretary A Somaiah said, “We do not have any right to keep minimum support price(MSP) for red chili crops as it is a commercial crop. We are displaying the prices of each and every variety of the crop, for the given day, on our notice boards. The traders visit the farmers and then check the condition and quality of the crop, based on which they decide the final price and buy the crop.”