Go For Chilli Sowing - TNAU Advised
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has advised farmers to go for chilli sowing in the months of October-November (Ippasi). According to the Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC) of the university, econometric analysis of data revealed that the prices of red chilli ranged between Rs. 47 to Rs. 50 a kg in the harvest season. However, the market study of the present situation reveals that the price of red chilli is expected to decline to approximately Rs. 40 a kg if bumper production (more than 12 lakh tonnes) is realised due to timely onset and distribution of North East monsoon. In such a case, the DEMIC has urged farmers to take advantage of the expected price hike in the off season and stock the red chilli in bulk after harvest.
Tamil Nadu raises around 49,000 hectares of chilli annually and produces 31,000 tonnes. The crop planting starts from October (Ippasi pattam) which extends till November. Normally, red chilli arrivals in the markets start with the first crop from Madhya Pradesh in the middle of October. The arrival of red chilli from parts of Tamil Nadu starts in January and extends till May. The peak period is March-April. The DEMIC team studied the markets of Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Paramakudi, Tuticorin and Chennai to arrive at the analysis.
