Unseasonal rain hits chilli yield, export drops by up to 50%

The chilli harvest season has drawn to a close in Ramanathapuram, but farmers are grappling with the after-effects of unseasonal rainfall earlier in the year, which has led to significant crop damage and a decline of 20% to 50% in both domestic and international chilli exports.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Ramanathapuram

Chillies, particularly the Samba and Mundu varieties, are the primary crops in the district, cultivated over approximately 15,000 hectares. However, untimely rain in December and March caused damage to over 11,000 hectares, impacting both yield and quality, according to officials from the agriculture marketing and Agribusiness department.

Farmers would harvest usually 300 kg to 350 kg of chilli per acre, but this year the average yield has dropped to 200 kg per acre.