Minister Promises Steps to Stabilise Chilli Prices
The minister observed that chilli prices this year were largely encouraging
VIJAYAWADA: As chilli farmers faced a price distress last year, the AP government has initiated steps to ensure price stability this season, agriculture minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said on Wednesday.
Addressing a review meeting on the chilli season at the agricultural marketing office in Guntur, the minister said the focus was on preventing a repeat of last year’s difficulties and restoring confidence among growers.
The minister observed that chilli prices this year were largely encouraging. The unusually high prices last season had prompted farmers to expand cultivation indiscriminately, leading to market imbalances. Acting on the directions of the chief minister, officials are educating farmers on chilli cultivation in optimal acreage so that prices remain stable.
The chief minister is also working on a cluster-based cropping policy aligned with market demand.
Atchannaidu said chilli cultivation last year covered 1.96 lakh hectares, yielding 6.62 lakh metric tonnes. This year, the acreage has come down to 1.06 lakh hectares, with production estimated at 5.39 lakh metric tonnes, reflecting a productivity decline of nearly 44 per cent.
Market arrivals are expected from December through January, with daily arrivals ranging between 45,000 and 55,000 bags during the peak, and total seasonal arrivals estimated at around one lakh bags. Storage capacity of 13.88 lakh metric tonnes is available across facilities.
The minister noted that prices were favourable for most varieties except Teja, while market fee collections had reached `85.37 crore. Some farmers had shifted from chilli to maize cultivation, he stated.
Atchennaidu said the chief minister had ordered banks to provide loans against chilli stocks stored in cold storages to prevent financial stress among farmers. Transactions in market yards were being closely monitored, particularly as produce from other states was also arriving. “We would ensure local farmers are not at a disadvantage.”
The minister stressed that 100 per cent e-Crop registration was being implemented and that preventive measures were under way to curb the spread of leaf curl virus.
He asked officials to increase the number of computerised weighing machines, ensure mandatory issuance of receipts, and take strict action against violations. “Transport rates would be fixed and stocks lying in cold storage must also be routed through market yards.”
