‘Set up Chilli Board in Guntur’: YSRCP MP Galla Jayadev in Lok Sabha

GUNTUR: Members of Parliament Galla Jayadev (TDP) and Lavu Srikrishanadevarayalu (YSRCP) have demanded that the Chilli Board in Guntur district. The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha by the MPs on different occasions this month.

Jayadev demanded that the Chilli Board and Turmeric Research Centre be set up in Guntur district on July 17. Duggirala and Kollipara mandals in Guntur Parliamentary constituency are well-known for turmeric production. Every year, the market yard at Duggirala receives five lakh turmeric bags. Turmeric is the main source of income to 50,000 farmers in the State, he said.

The most important part of turmeric is ‘curcumin.’ The higher the curcumin, the better is the quality and the farmer will get good price for higher percentage of curcumin. The best quality turmeric will have 5-6 per cent curcumin.

But, the turmeric grown in Duggirala and Kollipara contains about two to three per cent of curcumin. The setting up of Turmeric Research Centre in Duggirala will help increase the curcumin levels to five to six per cent.

He said he had been requesting for setting up of the Research Centre for the last five years and it was high time such a centre was set up in Duggirala. He also demanded setting up of the Chilli Board in Guntur as the district is the leading producer of chilli in the entire country.

The farmers produce about 25 per cent of the global output of chilli in Guntur district alone. It is the biggest chilli yard in the entire world. There was a need to set it up so the minister concerned must take steps to implement the demand of the farmers, he said.