Ferozepur Tops Punjab In Chilli Production, Administration Exploring Possibilities For Export

Chandigarh, May 3 (TNA) Due to the hard work of farmers of border district Ferozepur and the guidance of horticulture epidemic Punjab, Ferozepur district has become the leading district in chili farming across the state.

Cultivation of chillies gives great help to farmers in getting out of the traditional crop cycle and Ferozepur district ranks number one in Punjab in chilli cultivation with over 1700 hectares of district and the maximum production of chillies in Punjab has increased to 19 metric tonnes per hectare. This information was shared by Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Dhiman.

Dhiman further said that under the guidance of Horticulture Minister Chetan Singh Joramajra and the guidance of Director Horticulture Shalinder Kaur, and technical cooperation the Pepper Cluster Development Program was launched on January 19, 2023 in collaboration with area organizations. District Level Event of Chili Cluster at Village Mahalam of District Ferozepur on 17 March 2023 Phase 1 of the project started.

He added that Punjab produces 19,963 metric tonnes of green chillies on about 9,920 hectares of land. Punjab's major chilli producer districts are Ferozepur, Patiala, Malerkotla, Sangrur, Jalandhar, Tarantaran, Amritsar, S. B. S. Nagar and Hoshiarpur and Ferozpur has the highest number of chillies in 1700 hectare area.

Deputy director of gardening Dr. Balkar Singh said that advanced pepper cultivators were selected under the Pepper Cluster Development Program. The selected cultivators were given information by the Horticulture Department about scientifically growing chillies and proper use of fertilizers, medicines. Samples of green peppers sent for investigation from chili growers in April resulted in a Maximum Residue Limit (M. R. L.) can be sent to other countries.

Efforts are being made by the Horticulture Department to export green chillies to other countries and in the coming days the border district chillies will also be seen overseas market.

At present, the Horticulture Department, Punjab is working on the marketing of green chillies, red chillies and dry red chillies so that in the future it can be possible to bring inside chillies cultivation by removing rakba from wheat and paddy crop cycle and increasing the income of farmers.