Hubballi: 13th Dry Chilli Fair to Begin from January 31

Hubballi:  The Karnataka State Spices Development Board, Horticulture Department (Dharwad Zilla Panchayat), Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hubballi, and Amarashiva Farmers' Producer Organization, Sanshi (Kundgol), will jointly host the 13th Dry Chilli Mela from January 31 to February 2.

The event will take place at the multipurpose exhibition venue of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee in Amaragol, said B.R. Girish, Managing Director of the Karnataka State Spices Development Board.

Speaking at a press conference at the board's office in Nekar Bhavan, Vidyanagar, Girish stated that the fair aims to promote direct sales of dry chillies from farmers to consumers, facilitate connections between chilli growers and customers, bring farmers, consumers, scientists, and processors onto a single platform, provide farmers with the latest research insights on chilli farming, and introduce various chilli varieties and processed products.

Interested farmers can register their names by January 27 with a copy of their land record, Aadhaar card, and voter ID at the following offices:

• Karnataka State Spices Development Board: 0836-2375030
• Horticulture Department, Hubballi: 0836-2355138
• Horticulture Department, Dharwad: 0836-2746334
• Horticulture Department, Navalgund: 08380-229170
• Amarashiva Farmers' Producer Organization, Sanshi, Kundgol: 08304-296297 / 0836-2225446

Farmers and consumers are encouraged to participate in large numbers.

In previous editions of the fair:

• 2018-19 (9th Fair): 120 farmers participated, selling 450 quintals of dry chillies worth ₹65 lakh.
• 2019-20 (10th Fair): 102 farmers participated, selling 330 quintals of dry chillies worth ₹77 lakh.
• 2022-23 (11th Fair): 100 farmers participated, selling 246 quintals of dry chillies worth ₹1.10 crore.
• 2023-24 (12th Fair): 100 farmers participated, selling 305 quintals of dry chillies worth ₹1.37 crore.

For 2024-25, dry chillies are expected to be cultivated across an estimated 2.19 lakh hectares in Karnataka, yielding around 3.37 lakh tonnes of production.

H.R. Nayak, General Manager of the Karnataka State Spices Development Board, also attended the press conference.