Chilli prices go all time high

Hyderabad: In a span of just one month, the price of red chillies has shot up by over Rs 50 in the city market, taking it to a staggering Rs 150 per kilo. Traders have attributed the soaring prices to a pest attack in Gadwal and Mahabubnagar districts that affected the crop and in turn, supplies.

The price has gone up alarmingly when compared to the prices in January 2017, when a kilo of red chilli came at Rs 50. The price in December 2017 was Rs 97 per kg.

“Usually, about 23,000 to 24,000 quintals of red chillies are sold every month in the market. But this year, the average sales have dropped to 9,500 to 10,000 quintals per month,” said J Ananthaiah, secretary, Malakpet market, adding that the price of the Badigi variety shot up to Rs 15,250 per quintal i.e. a Rs 1,110 rise in price, while the Teja was priced at Rs 13,500 to 14,120 per quintal i.e. a rise of Rs 800.

“The rise in prices is due to a substantial slump in production from various parts of the State. Pest attacks have caused a 60 per cent drop in production in areas like Gadwal and Mahabubnagar, which in turn has affected the prices in the city,” said Venkat Reddy, another official at the Malakpet market.

The grade-I chilli is priced at Rs 130 to Rs 140 per kilo with wholesale dealers selling the same at Rs 145 to Rs 150 in the city.

“The major market in the city for red chillies is Mahbub Mansion (Malakpet market), which has been importing red chillies from Ananthapur and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh and Mahabubnagar and Gadwal districts of Telangana,” he said.