Poor
chilli crop in China is hot news for Indian farmers
M
ENOSH JEREMIAH
TIMES
NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2003 01:03:19 AM ]
HYDERABAD
: Indian chillies are expected to be in hot demand in south-east Asian
and Middle-Eastern countries next year, following the forecast of a
good crop in India and lower output in neighbouring China . Poor chilly
crop in China, coupled with prospects of a better crop of the same in
India are set to push up chilly exports in the coming year as compared
to this year, Mr Kilari Venkata Rosaiah, president of Chillies Traders
Association in Guntur, a major hub for chilly trading in Asia, told
ET.
The
traders expect increased demand for Indian chillies in the coming year
from countries like Singapore , Malaysia , Burma , and also from the
UAE and other Gulf countries, due to expected fall in Chinese chilly
exports to these countries. According to estimations made by traders
in Guntur , the volume of chilly exports this year would be around 70,000
tonnes only as against 83,000 tonnes last year. The lower exports are
attributed to crop failure in many chilly growing areas of the country
due to drought as well as higher domestic prices that they have commanded
this year.
However,
the situation is set to be reversed in the coming year, with the domestic
output going up by almost 25% following a fairly good monsoon, which
will have a positive impact on the export front with export volumes
expected to cross the 80,000-tonne mark once again next year, said Mr
Rosaiah. He also expected chilly prices in the domestic market to rule
high in the coming trading season beginning February/March when the
new crop starts arriving into the Guntur chilly market.
Officials
of the AP Horticulture Department also confirmed that the chilly crop
is much better this year compared to the last crop, with the output
set to cross 3 lakh tonnes compared to a little over 2 lakh tonnes registered
last year.
The
harvesting has begun on a small scale in major chilly growing areas
of the state like Guntur , Warangal , Prakasam, Khammam, Nalgonda, and
Karimnagar. Reports from those places speak of a higher yield this year,
they said, but warned that the current cyclonic conditions, if they
worsen, could damage the crop. The east coast of the state is experiencing
rains and heavy winds since Sunday evening due to a cyclonic storm gathering
in the Bay of Bengal .
