Khammam: As the chilli price crossed Rs 11,000 per quintal in Khammam Agricultural Market (KAM), the chilli stocks placed in various cold storages on benami farmers have been coming to the market. The teja variety chilli is being sold more than Rs 11,000 per quintal for the last four days. The traders, who predicted the chilli price hike, bought the produce in May at the rate of Rs 7,000 to Rs 7,500 per quintal. There are 35 cold storages in Khammam and its surrounding areas and each cold storage will have a capacity of placing one lakh bags. About 100 quintals of chilli per day has been coming to the market for the last five days. There are only few farmers among the sellers of the chilli. There is a practice in KAM on traders forming groups and they used to invest money in it.
These syndicates used to buy the produce and sell after the rates are hiked. M. Sankaraiah, a farmer from Chintakani said that he produced 35 quintal in his four acre land. “I sold 25 quintals at the rate of Rs 7,000 and the remaining produce now,” he said. Some of the businessmen, who are anticipating the price may go to Rs 12,000 per quintal are waiting for some more time.
Chilli touched Rs 12,000 per quintal in January, 2013 and the produce is being exported to various countries.
