Heat wave, water shortage shrivel chilli crop by 50 percent

HYDERABAD: The recent heat waves and acute water shortage together with sudden viral attacks on red chilli crops caused destruction in Sindh’s main chilli producing districts, including Umerkot and parts of Mirpurkhas, Badin, and Sanghar.
Mian Salim, president of the Chilli Growers Association, belonging to the Kunri area, Umerkot district, said per acre chilli produce may drop to 50 percent out of the total around 85,000 tons traded from only Kunri’s market.
“We have sent samples of virus-affected red chilli plants to major laboratories in Islamabad and other cities to identify the diseases and suggest the solution so we may save the seasonal crop, but in vain,” he said. In this situation, he believes that “if the area receives rain shower we may avoid loss by virus”.
“Per acre engages at least one family to grow and depends on this crop. Presently at least 80,000 acres have been cultivated with red chilli in these four districts. Imagine how the growers and labour force will sustain due to this colossal loss,” Mian Salim said.
He said red chilli is the most sensitive crop and needs proper temperature, water, and care. “If growers cannot manage to have sufficient water through canals they will suffer. The growers receive water after 21 days and sometimes it is delayed to 30 days, depending on the availability of water,” he added.
Since, the 2011 floods, which damaged the standing crops, the growers have not been able to recover their losses because of the water shortage in canals and extreme weather.
The chilli crop sowing season starts from mid February and during the peak season of September-October, Kunri’s chilli market receives 20,000 bags daily. But growers are uncertain this season and predict the growers, workers, and traders may face problems because of low production. The price will be uncertain too.
The Kunri market usually starts receiving fresh products by the first week of August and continues to sell the chilli till the end of March every year. But now the markets may receive the product later.
According to growers if water is sufficiently available, per acre yield rises to 210-maund. But persistent water shortage means 50 percent less production.
Chilli is considered one of the most profitable cash crops in Sindh’s Umerkot district, with the largest chilli market in Asia located in Kunri town. But growers lament the lack of proper mechanism, which enables foreign buyers to buy at lower rates. For this, they demand acquiring new technology for handling the product in fields, at warehouses and in markets.
Following this, quite recently some non- governmental organisations introduced plastic sheets and gave picking bags to the growers to use in fields and warehouses for drying to keep the product safe. Chillies produced and sold in the region not only contribute towards domestic consumption, but also help generate foreign exchange reserves for the country.
Prof Ismail Kumbhar of Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam said red chilli is an important crop and specially the product traded at Kunri market in Sindh is exceptional with an attractive colour, taste, and aroma .
He said community, academia, universities, and research institutes should work together to learn the ups and downs, alternate water sources, and identifying diseases to find solutions. This may be the only way to resolve the problems and save this major cash crop, he said.
The three major types of chilies grown in Kunri include Maxi, Desi and Nagina. But growers say for the last two years they have introduced the Indian variety called Sanam (Sky red).
Prof Kumbhar pointed out that chilli growers who received hybrid seeds, which they named Sanam, might have affected the other plants. Sindh has a different climate and the hybrid seeds might have created problems for indigenous varieties of chilli, the professor added.
Chilli Research Institute Kunri, Umerkot is there to help the growers to resolve their problems, he said.