You may have to shell out a few more bucks to make your favourite mango pickle this year. Prices of “Single Patti” variety of red chillies, used mainly for making pickles, have touched a record ₹42,500 a quintal in Telangana on Wednesday, a key producer in the country.

While other varieties like Teja and Wonder Hot too are hitting all-time record high prices this year, the “Single Patti” variety has been quoted beyond (maximum price) ₹40,000 over the past week.

The modal price stands at ₹38,000 against ₹23,000 the same day last year. While Teja variety is being sold in the range of ₹13,500-₹17,900, Wonder Hot is sold at ₹16,000-23,500.

The sharp increase in the price of this variety is attributed to a virulent attack by a new invasive thrips virus. Nearly 90 per cent of the four lakh acres under red chillies crop in Telangana has been completely damaged by the virus.

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh account for two-thirds of the country’s chilli production. The country produced about 20 lakh tonnes last year. “We have never seen prices like these for different varieties of chillies. The price of the “Single Patti” variety is still high as it is grown very less,” Bonthu Rambabu, a chilli grower in Khammam district, told Business Line.

“About 10 per cent of the total chilli area is covered under this variety. The output is low this year as a large chunk of it was damaged by the virus attack,” he said.

He said the price is not likely to come down as the inflows to the markets are meagre.

Other varieties

The other top varieties such as Teja and Wonder Hot continue to be selling at very high price brackets.

The cost of production for the “Single patti” variety is higher than the other varieties such as Teja and Wonder Hot. “It is relatively less spicy and is called ‘sweet chilli’. So, we have to spend a bit more on crop management,” a farmer said.

Farmers spend about ₹1.5-2 lakh on an acre of chillies.

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