Burst Of Spice

Bhut Jolokia, One Of The Hottest Chillies, Went Through A Dip In Its Intense Spiciness And Price When Its Production Spread And Cross- Pollination Began On A Large Scale

- Rhinusmita Kakoty Lahkar

CALL IT bhut jolokia, raja mirchi or king chilli, just one bite of this excruciatingly hot chilli can turn anyone into its colour—red. It, therefore, came as no surprise when in 2007 the Guinness World Records recognised it as the hottest chilli. It, howoever, lost the status in 2011.

Bhut jolokia is delicate and must be harvested at the first sign of ripening. The chilli has a crop cycle of six months, in which it fruits for about three months. Bipul Gogoi, a grower in Sibsagar district of Assam, says, 1,500 to 1,600 seedlings can be planted per bigha (around 0.13 hectare). One plant yields an average three kg in every crop cycle, which Gogoi estimates fetches a profit of ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 per bigha.

Buyers assess the chilli by its spiciness and colour. Fresh chillis can be bought in wholesale markets such as Machkhowa in Guwahati. Hiren Baruah, wholesale dealer here, says his average sale every day is between 50 kg and 100 kg. In season—between March and July—prices range from ₹150 to ₹300 per kg. A bulk of the chillis bought here are traditionally dried under the sun, or in machines before being sold again or turned into paste.