Latest news with #PunjabAgriExportCorporationLtd
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Rice over spice: Punjab farmers plough back chilli crop for paddy
Chandigarh: Punjab's chilli farmers experienced a poor season this year, stemming from reduced supply to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, and a labour shortage caused by the state's decision to advance paddy sowing. Faced with low prices and scarce buyers, many farmers in Ferozepur, the leading chilli-cultivating district, opted to prematurely plough back their crops and proceed with paddy sowing last month. Despite remarkable growth in chilli cultivation in Ferozepur, from 736 hectares in 2014-15 to 2,732 hectares in 2024-25, the recently concluded season proved dismal for farmers, with prices of red, dry chilli plummeting to Rs 60-70 per kg from Rs 180 per kg in 2023 and Rs 130 per kg last year. The chilli cluster in Ferozepur was inaugurated in March 2023. Manpreet Singh, a farmer from Basti Dabian Wali in Ferozepur, cultivated chilli across 100 acres but was forced to plough back a substantial portion. He explained that Punjab's chilli did not reach Guntur this season because export samples of its traders failed due to residue traces (in chilli of other states), and Guntur already held significant stocks, including last year's chilli in cold storage. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 기미, 레이저말고 이렇게 해보세요 에스테틱최원장 Undo Despite Ferozepur's chilli being residue-free and valued by Guntur traders for its unique red colour, farmers like Manpreet were compelled to sell their produce to local and Rajasthani grinders at a reduced price of Rs 75-80 per kg. The Guntur mirchi yard is one of Asia's largest chilli markets and exports to countries like China and Vietnam. Need for cold storage Adding to the farmers' woes, the state govt's decision to advance paddy sowing to June 1 created a major labour shortage, as workers preferred the better rates offered in paddy. This resulted in widespread losses to farmers across the entire Ferozepur area, marking the first time they were forced to plough back their chilli crop. Farmers reiterated the long-standing demand for cold storage facilities, which would allow green chillies to ripen into red over time, ensuring better market value. Hardeep Singh, a chilli farmer of Bareke village, said farmers who typically divide their crop to sell both green and red chillies, were forced to sell their entire harvest as green chilli at a meagre Rs 8-10 per kg. This was due to reports of dwindling purchases by Guntur traders for exports, leading to a market glut and an abrupt shortening of the chilli season to just two months, despite its usual duration from Oct to July. "While labour is always an issue with chilli harvesting, this time the clash with paddy sowing gravely aggravated the situation," he said, adding: "We suffered a loss of Rs 50,000 per acre this season." Ferozepur's chilli farmers also questioned the rationale behind Punjab govt's decision to establish a chilli processing plant in Abohar through the Punjab Agri Export Corporation Ltd (PAGREXCO), given the area's limited chilli cultivation. "There is a need to set up a procurement centre in Ferozepur so that small farmers are saved from incurring transportation costs," they said. Apart from cold storage facilities, farmers are demanding the setting up of solar dryers in the grain markets so that chilli and other vegetables can be dried to fetch better prices. Ferozepur chief horticulture officer Simran Singh said to boost crop diversification in the border district, which has emerged as one of the state's largest vegetable producers, a chilli development centre is being established under NITI Aayog's aspirational district programme at a cost of Rs 59 lakh. He added chilli cultivation proved to be a viable option for over 4,000 farmers in the district, many of whom are small and marginal. Developed by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Chilli Hybrid-27 (CH-27) has emerged as a predominant choice, steadily progressing from small-scale production to massive commercial-level farming in and around a cluster of villages in the Malwa and Doaba regions of Punjab. Area Under Chilli in Punjab & Top 3 Districts Year | Punjab | Ferozepur | Jalandhar | Tarn Taran 2014-15 | 7359 | 736 | 1,115 | 974 2015-16 | 7,501 | 738 | 1,124 | 1,004 2016-17 | 7,687 | 754 | 1,134 | 1,010 2017-18 | 8,211 | 805 | 1,165 | 1,075 2018-19 | 8,770 | 1,716 | 1,166 | 545 2019-20 | 8,776 | 1,616 | 1,270 | 503 2020-21 | 8,778 | 1,540 | 1,272 | 506 2021-22 | 9,920 | 1918 | 851 | 559 2022-23 | 10,614 | 2,052 | 911 | 598 2023-24 | 11,397 | 2,732 | 1,002 | 641
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Chilli processing plant to come up in Abohar by Sept: Punjab agri minister
The Punjab government will commission a ₹9.50 crore chilli processing plant in Abohar by September, state agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said. Being established by the Punjab Agri Export Corporation Ltd (PAGREXCO) over one acre of land, the plant will have an installed capacity of five tonnes per hour, the minister said. The area under chilli cultivation in the state has been increasing annually, with farmers being encouraged to grow high-yielding varieties suitable for processing, he said. As of 2024, Punjab's chilli cultivation spanned 10,614 hectares, the highest recorded area in recent years, yielding 21,416 metric tonnes, the minister said. Ferozepur district leads in chilli production, followed by Patiala, Malerkotla, Sangrur, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, SBS Nagar and Hoshiarpur. Ferozepur's average yield of approximately 19 metric tonnes (MT) per hectare showcases the region's efficient farming practices, Khuddian said. PAGREXCO directly procures chillies from farmers and aggregators, leveraging a well-established marketing network, he added. The corporation is a major exporter of red chilli paste from Punjab, including to the Middle East and African countries. Chilli cultivation has emerged as a vital component of Punjab's agricultural diversification, providing farmers with a lucrative alternative to traditional crops such as wheat and paddy, the minister said. The state's favourable agro-climatic conditions have strategically positioned Punjab as a key player in chilli production and processing, capitalising on new opportunities in the agricultural sector, he added.
