CONCEPT NOTE ON CHILLI FARMING, PROCESSING AND MARKEING THROUGH VALUE CHAIN APPROACH IN KUCHINDA SUB-DIVISION OF SAMBALPUR DISRICT
CHILLY is a major crop of 5000 households (Approx.) grown in 800 ha. of land during Rabi season ( October to February) in Kuchinda, Bamra and Jamankira Blocks of Kuchinda Sub-division of Sambalpur District. Most of the Chilly growers are Small and Marginal Farmers and belong to ST/SC category. It is the second mahor crop grown by the farmers after Paddy in the Kharif season. Hence, it provides substantial livelihoods opportunities to the ST and SC communities of Kuchinda Sub-division.
However, the Chilly growers are facing various challenges in recent years due to increase in cost of production as a result of increase input cost ( Wage rate, price of fertilizer , pesticides, price of diesel for irrigation of land through pump etc ), absence of producers collectives and organized markets in the supply chain, lack of information on price trend and big traders of chilly in the State of Odisha and adjourning states who can offer good price , better farming practices through use of latest technology and support system, timely availability of credit at affordable rate of interest through formal banking system, availability of infrastructure for processing and value addition etc. According to a focused group discussion held recently with the Chilly growers, line department (Horticulture) , ITDA officials , the crop grown area for Chilly has been declining in recent years due to the above mentioned challenges faced by the farmers which is endangering their assured livelihoods through chilly cultivation.
The total production of chilly in these areas are about 24,000 Qtls (12 Qtls/ per acre) and majority of the producers sell Red Chilly after drying at field/backyard by using traditional methods .The farmers generally sale their produce to the local traders in Bamra and Kuchinda