GUNTUR: Chilli farmers faced a lot of difficulties due to the poor price of Rs1,500 to Rs 4,000 per quintal last year. The state government offered an additional Rs 1,500 to Rs 4,000 per quintal to the help them. Now, things are looking up as chilli is getting Rs 11,000 per quintal according to quality. Chilli trade brings liveliness to the chilli yard as chilli growers rush to the yard to sell their produce early to get good prices.
According to traders and chilli exporters, the reduction of red chilli in other states and orders from foreign countries have increased the demand for the produce. A trader B. Raju said that Teja, Badiga varieties are getting Rs 11,000 per quintal and Super 10, Number 334 varities are also getting Rs 8,000 per quintal in the present season. He recalled that Teja variety used to get a price of Rs 8,000 per quintal and remaining varities would only get Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000, due to heavy stock in the market. He explained that few farmers migrated to cotton farming in Guntur, due to poor price in 2016-17.
Another trader N. Prabhakar said that at present, the chilli varieties 273, 334, 341, 4884, 5, Devanuru Delux, Thaalu, Super 10 and Talu are arriving at the yard for sale from cold storages and villages. He said that chilli growers kept their produces in cold storages.
