Byadgi chilli growers buoyed by best-ever price for produce

Hubballi: Shrunk cultivation area, yield, and huge demand from masala companies and exporters have led to the price surge of Byadgi chillies. As a result, farmers are seeing the best prices ever in history and are happy with the prices.

Byadgi chillies were sold for Rs 30,000 per quintal in 2024-25. This year (2025-26), the average price lies between Rs 50,000 and Rs 70,000 per quintal. Recently, four bags of the Byadgi dabbi variety (popularly called Kashmiri chilli) were sold for Rs 89,999 per quintal, the highest price ever in the history of Byadgi chilli.

Channappa Mayannavar, a dry chilli grower from Chakkanarti village of Kundgol taluk in Dharwad district, said last year they cultivated dry chilli on 12 acres and invested around Rs 1.80 lakh. Due to rain and disease, they managed to get only 4 quintals of yield, which was sold for Rs 30,000. This year, they decided to totally drop the chilli crop. But his father forced him not to drop their traditional crop.

He cultivated the crop on only 4 acres. They got a good yield and a good price, too, he added. To protect the crop from thieves, they have installed a CCTV camera in their field.

Byadgi Chilli Merchants’ Association secretary Raju Morigeri said there is a shortage of supply of Byadgi chillies, and masala companies have been demanding more supplies.

“In January, following the price hike, only a few masala companies purchased chillies. In February, the supply of Byadgi chillies did not improve; hence, many malasa companies rushed to the market to buy chillies, which is the reason behind the shot-up prices,” he noted.

He also added that all frontline masala companies in the country use Byadgi chillies for good colour, medium pungency and long shelf life of their products. Therefore, it is inevitable for them to purchase the chillies at any cost. Last year, good-quality chillies were sold for Rs 30,000, but this year the price is almost double, he explained.

Byadgi APMC secretary Adarsh said they get all varieties of dry chilli to the Byadgi market, which is the largest dry chilli market in India. This year, they have received only 20% of the Byadgi variety chilli, and the rest are of other varieties.

The Byadgi chilli market follows an online e-tender system. The farmers can sell their produce through online bidding and get the best price based on quality. Therefore, the farmers visit Byadgi market from many districts and even from the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Karnataka State Spices Development Board (KSSDB) Managing Director B R Girish said the dry chilli cultivating area dropped to 83,597 ha in 2025-26 from 1.24 lakh ha in 2024-25. Despite this, the rain in September and October also affected the yield, followed by diseases. “In the cultivated area, only 10% is the Byadgi variety chilli,” he noted.

Karibasappa Hariyalad, a chilli trader in Byadgi, said, “Last year, there was a good supply and lower prices. This year, there is less supply and good prices. We are doing well this year.”