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Artificial scarcity inflates chilli seed prices
With red chilli commanding a record price these days and against the backdrop of the government’s discouragement in going for the cotton crop, farmers invariably attracted by the red chilli cultivation in the region.
Warangal/Khammam: Riding a wave of demand for the red chilli in the domestic and international market, especially the desi variety, the traders wreaking havoc on farmers by creating an artificial scarcity of the seed to make a
fast buck.
With red chilli commanding a record price these days and against the backdrop of the government’s discouragement in going for the cotton crop, farmers invariably attracted by the red chilli cultivation in the region.
This apart, some varieties such as US 341, Wonder Hot etc. which have proved resistant to virus attacks besides giving high yield lured the farmers go for the crop.
It may be mentioned here that the price of desi variety red chilli, said to be the most sought-after of all kinds, was quoted at a maximum of Rs 18,000 per quintal at the Enumamula Market Yard in Warangal in February.
However, the meteoric rise of red chilli price was mainly due to inadequate rains and quick disappearance of winter last year in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, farmers inclined to take up the cultivation of the crop more than normal in the region.
Taking advantage of this, seed traders have created an artificial shortage of the mirchi seed and doubled the price selling them above the maximum retail price (MRP).
The price of seed which was varied around Rs 45,000 per kilogram has now shot up to Rs 1.20 lakh. The most affected are the farmers in Agency regions of Bhadrachalam in Khammam district and Etur Nagaram in Warangal district. “Farmers need 100 grams to 120 grams of chilli seed per acre.
As of now, the price of 10 gram chilli seed is between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,200,” Telangana Rythu Sangham state joint secretary Nunna Nageswar Rao said, demanding the government to ensure the sale of the seed at MRP.
Warangal Joint Director of Agriculture Usha Dayal said: “There is an increase in the cultivation of red chilli in the district for the last two years.
The normal area of chilli cultivation area in the district is 15,021 hectares. Last year, it went up to 19,000 hectares. Preliminary reports this year say that the sowing area could be anywhere around 40,000 hectares.”
Though the officials conducted raids on seed traders a few times, we haven’t noticed any irregularities, she added, assuring stringent action against the black-marketeers, if they get any concrete information about it.
By:Adepu Mahender
