Untimely Rains Damages Red Chilies in Guntur market

The quality of Red chilies is reportedly affected in Guntur Mirchi yard. Sources from Guntur, the biggest mandi of Asia, said that due to untimely rains a huge quantity of Red chili has been adversely affected. Few were able to protect their stock by covering them with a tarpaulin, or by shifted the commodity into the sheds.  

Guntur chilies are basically a group of chili cultivars from the Guntur and Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh. The Guntur district is the main producer and exporter of most varieties of chilies and chili powder from India to regions such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Middle East, South Korea, the UK, the US, and Latin America. The district is renowned globally as the Red chili cultivars are exported to Asia, Canada, and Europe. 

Chilies produced in Guntur district consist of various colors and flavors because of the level of Capsaicin in them. Guntur chilies form an important part of curries and various popular dishes of the state of  Andhra Pradesh. The main trading center for the Guntur chili is called Guntur Mirchi Yard, which is Asia's largest market for dried red chilies.   

Farmers had brought the chili stocks to Guntur Mirchi Yard for receiving better price but now they have concerns regarding traders likely to offer lesser price for the damaged stocks. Currently red chili is being sold between Rs12, 500 and Rs14,000 per quintal, depending upon the quality. Andhra farmers are reportedly bringing around 90,000 bags of red chili per day to the yard for sale. 

Trade sources have estimated that nearly 50,000 quintals of red chili is drenched in in the Guntur Mirch Yard because of the rains, and it is possible that approximately 4000-5000 quintals is already damaged.