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.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 16, 2019-Ausgabe von Down To Earth.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 16, 2019-Ausgabe von Down To Earth.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara