Flood results in extensive damage to chilli crop in Dharwad, Gadag

Hubballi: Unseasonal rain and floods having ravaged nearly two-thirds of the area under chilli cultivation, the price of dry chilli has skyrocketed in the retail market, much to the displeasure of the customers. Data from the horticulture department indicates that, of the 27,000 hectares used for cultivation of chilli across Dharwad district, floods damaged crops across 18,500 hectares.
Neighbouring Gadag district, also renowned for cultivation of chilli, has been adversely affected owing to torrential rain. Of the 13,120 hectares used for sowing of chilli in the district, crops across 11,171 hectares have been destroyed. Fortunately, damage to chilli crop was minimal in Haveri district – crops across 3,130 hectares of the 13,039 hectares used for its cultivation were destroyed.
Managing director of the Karnataka State Spices Development Board Manjunath Narayanpur said that the four districts accounted for a king’s share of the chilli crop grown in the state. “The area we targetted came up to around 1.3 lakh hectares, but the yield was much below our expectations owing to the flood,” Narayanpur said.
He added that the board was keen on promoting the cultivation of spices among farmers, given its profitability. “We are encouraging more ryots to take up cultivation of chilli, and various measures are being taken to increase its production,” said Narayanpur.
The spice board chief said that, in a bid to bridge the gap between the farmers and the customers and to provide a platform, wherein ryots could directly market their produce, a three-day chilli mela was being held in Dharwad starting from Saturday. “The mela is being held by the board in association with the Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Agriculture Produce Market Committee, Hubballi and the horticulture department. The mela will be held on the premises of the Moorusavir Math,” said Narayanpur.
Pointing out that this was the tenth edition of the mela, Narayanpur added that nearly 110 stalls would be erected at the venue for farmers. “We will also have stalls for those merchants to market agro-based chilli products,” said Narayanpur, adding that nearly 120 farmers from across North Karnataka had participated in the last edition of the mela, wherein 45 tonnes of dry chilli cumulatively worth Rs 65 lakh had been sold.
Narayanpur said that a national-level enclave would be held in the second week of March, the focus of which would be on taking measures to create awareness on food safety and increase the quantity of dry chilli that can be exported.
The board’s general manager Chidanandappa, deputy director of the horticulture department Ramachandra Madivalar and Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries member BB Patil were among present at the conference.