Continuous Rainfall Wreak Havoc for Chilli Farmers in Andhra Pradesh

Vendors claim that the situation has been the same since Monday, with the number of stocked bags decreasing from 150,000 to 60,000 due to the effect of the rainfall. This decrease has occurred during the peak season for the market when summer holidays are announced and demand is high.

Continuous rainfall in Guntur, India, has caused a decline in the number of farmers bringing their produce to the Mirchi yard, a market for chilli peppers. The arrival of farmers from areas including Prakasam, Palnadu, Bapatla and Telangana State has decreased from over 150,000 to 90,000 as farmers fear their produce will be damaged by the rain.

Vendors claim that the situation has been the same since Monday, with the number of stocked bags decreasing from 150,000 to 60,000 due to the effect of the rainfall. This decrease has occurred during the peak season for the market when summer holidays are announced and demand is high. The rain means that farmers are hesitant to bring their produce from long distances and are unable to properly stock their products, with renting a cold storage facility being too expensive.

The quality and pungency of the chilli would also be affected if it becomes soaked in the water. However, prices remain constant for all varieties of chilli, with Madhu Babu, a local vendor, commenting that farmers need not worry about profits too much.

Currently, the prices of 334 varieties of chilli range from INR 10,000 to INR 22,000 per quintal, while the prices of No. 5 varieties range from INR 9,000 to INR 20,000 per quintal.

Prices for 273 varieties range from INR 11,500 to INR 18,500 per quintal, prices for 341 varieties range from INR 10,000 to INR 25,000, prices for 4884 variety range from INR 13,000 to INR 15,000 per quintal, prices for Super 10 range from INR 12,500 to INR 17,000, prices for Teja range from INR 9,000 to INR 23,500, prices for Badiga range from INR 10,000 to INR 24,200 and prices for Devanaru range from INR 9,000 to INR 20,000 per quintal.

Market experts predict that there will be a surge in arrivals to the market after the rain and that the market may close for two weeks, as farmers will rush to sell their produce without delay.

Source-The Indian Express

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