The technology has been created by Ludhiana-based Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), an institution under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. “The time taken for green chillies to turn red is a month more than it takes for the crop to turn green,” said CIPHET scientist Dilip Jain who led the team that standardised the production methods for green chilli powder.
“With the new technology, farmers need not keep the crop on the field for the extra month, which would allow them to use the field more productively,” he added. While bridging the technology gap that so far eluded scientists to standardise the production of green chilli powder, the new technology is also expected to add aesthetic look and authenticity to the dishes. “This profitable technology is ready for transfer. We are getting queries from small entrepreneurs and self-help groups who want to set up their own production units,” CIPHET director R T Patil said.
While the production cost of one kg of chilli has been estimated at around Rs 150, a small production unit is likely to cost around Rs 7 lakhs.
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