Sambalpur: Red chilli powder produced in Kuchinda subdivision of Sambalpur district will be marketed at the national level, a report said.
According to the report, chilli is farmed on a large scale in Kuchinda sub-division, but marketing of the produce has always been a problem for farmers. Now, their perennial concern for marketing will be over soon.
ITDA, RMC, district agriculture department, horticulture department, Odisha Livelihood Mission and ORMAS have come together and initiated joint efforts to market the chilli powder.
A godown and a chilli processing unit have been set up at Kulang at a cost of Rs 20 lakh. Chilil farmers have been trained in farming and harvest. Chilli powder production has started here on an experimental basis.
It was decided that chilli powder will be packed in packets and sold in local and different markets. The above stakeholders have talked to a private company to buy the chili powder and market it outside the state.
Initially, chill will be cultivated in 166 hectares in the first phase while 210 members of SHGs have been roped into this farming.
ORMAS Director Srimant Hota said 10 producers’ groups have been formed for the management of the chill unit while 5 FPOs have been constituted. In the current year, chilli has been grown on 4786 hectares in Kuchinda area and 35,000 tonnes of chilli are expected to be produced.
PNN