After a delayed start, the transplanting of chilli has picked up in the key producing States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana following the September rains, stakeholders said.

“Rains have helped the transplantation of chilli, which is still going on in both Andhra and Telangana. Acreage is likely to be similar to the last year’s levels,” said Sambasiva Rao Velagapudi, President of Chilli Exporters Association in Guntur. However, lower water storage in key reservoirs would still be an issue.

The pick-up in transplantation has brought cheers to the agrochemical vendors, who were a bit concerned due to the water shortage and dry spells hampering the acreage in the earlier part of the season.

“The transplantation is nearing completion in South and the sentiments have improved,” said NK Rajavelu, CEO of Godrej Agrovet’s Crop Protection Business. The company expects the sales of agrochemicals to pick up in the chilli growing regions.

Bhavesh Shah, Managing Director of GSP Crop Science, expects the sales of agrochemicals to pick up to grow in the season going ahead. The area under chilli looks good and September rains are seen helping the crop in South, he said.

In Karnataka, where the area under chilli is seen higher this year, the crop condition looks good mainly in the areas of Hubballi, Bellary and Bagalkot, said Basavaraj Hampali of Hampali Traders in Hubballi. The on and off rains are helping the crop and there are no major instances of pests such as black thrips or diseases like the leaf curl virus reported, so far, Hampali said.

stock taking

While the overall area is likely to remain flat or witness a marginal growth, the stocks of red chillies in the producing regions are almost similar to the last year’s levels, Rao said, adding that the crop size would depend on the rains in November and December.

Rao said in Guntur, the stocks are estimated at 35 lakh bags of 40 kg each, while in Rural Guntur, the stocks are around 7 lakh bags. Similarly, in rest of Andhra Pradesh, the stocks are around 3 lakh bags. Further, in Telangana the chilli stocks are estimated at around 25 lakh bags, Rao added.

The trade is still awaiting demand from China, the largest buyer of the spice crop, to pick up. Any pick-up in demand from China would lift the prices, he said. Presently, the prices are ruling stable. The price of Teja variety is hovering between ₹190 and ₹240 per kg, while that of the 341 variety is between ₹182 and ₹210 per kg, Rao said.

Per the final estimates for 2021-22, India’s red chilli output stood at 18.36 lakh tonnes and the acreage was 8.82 lakh ha. Green chillies were grown on 4.27 lakh ha and the output stood at 47 lakh tonnes.

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