Chilli cultivation and preservation thread.

[BHarwana]

Pakistan is a good area for cultivating chilli crop and there are many types of chilli produced in Pakistan. This thread is dedicated to the discussion of cultivating and then preserving of chilli for export.

 

[BHarwana]

@denel please shed some knowledge on your preservation technique for European market and cultivation in south Africa. Thank you.

 

[Safriz]

Chilli? why only Chilli?

 

[BHarwana]

Chilli? why only Chilli?

We tried to export chilli to Europe and attempt failed because of preservation. @denel told me he knew about packaging for Europe and just creating an information pool so that some readers can benefit from it.
I will also try to gather information on European standards and post them here so people can learn and discuss how to increase production and reduce costs from each other across the world.

 

[BHarwana]

Chilli? why only Chilli?

Our chilli export decline started in 2005 and continues till now because of lack of knowledge on packaging and European laws.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/33...-land-pakistan-s-chilli-exports-in-thick-soup

 

[Safriz]

Our chilli export decline started in 2005 and continues till now because of lack of knowledge on packaging and European laws.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/33...-land-pakistan-s-chilli-exports-in-thick-soup

I was on about the economy of scales.
The whole world only produces 6 million tons of Chilli and Pakistan only exports 600 to 1000 Tons an year.
Its pointless to worry about such a small sized export.
We should worry more about Wheat and other major crops and also Dairy farming, and bringing down meat prices

 

[BHarwana]

I was on about the economy of scales.
The whole world only produces 6 million tons of Chilli and Pakistan only exports 600 to 1000 Tons an year.
Its pointless to worry about such a small sized export.
We should worry more about Wheat and other major crops and also Dairy farming, and bringing down meat prices

Pakistan produces cheapest chilli and it is expensive in countries around the world. The only draw back is farmer don't know preservation techniques. Adding little by little each commodity helps your growth. The farming of chilli don't requires much large lands and can help many small farmers of Pakistan. In a 6 million ton export market if your share is only 1000 tons that is a shame and just because you are not preserving well. If you preserve 50000 tons with that money alone your countries economy can have growth boosted.

 

[BHarwana]

 

[Imad.Khan]

Pakistan produces cheapest chilli and it is expensive in countries around the world. The only draw back is farmer don't know preservation techniques. Adding little by little each commodity helps your growth. The farming of chilli don't requires much large lands and can help many small farmers of Pakistan. In a 6 million ton export market if your share is only 1000 tons that is a shame and just because you are not preserving well. If you preserve 50000 tons with that money alone your countries economy can have growth boosted.

Chilli is very expensive in Australia, the price ranges from $19/Kg to $80/Kg depending on the variety. Here is a screenshot with prices from the largest Aussie retailer

 

[Ishq Dewana]

Pakistan has best food

 

[BHarwana]

Chilli is very expensive in Australia, the price ranges from $19/Kg to $80/Kg depending on the variety. Here is a screenshot with prices from the largest Aussie retailer

View attachment 494551

In Pakistan price is under $2 per kg.
Problem is farmers have no knowledge of preserving and packaging.

 

[newb3e]

chilli is grown in many areas of sindh, kunri being the largest but there also shortage ofirrigation water has lowered production.issue with export to europen market is our chilli is mainly dried under sun and not in controlled environment and because of moisture in the air fungus grows and increase aflatoxin.Eu has strict aflatoxin requirments and thats why we have failed till now to penetrate Eu market.

 

[RealNapster]

In Pakistan price is under $2 per kg.
Problem is farmers have no knowledge of preserving and packaging.

Currently its Rs 60/kg

 

[Arsalan]

I have family in interior Sindh. We are Punjabi but my fathers family, grandparents and uncles settled in interior Sindh in a small town called KUNRI after partition so there is the strong connection.
About KUNRI, it is famous for one thing, CHILIES! There is a special breed, called dandi cut is produced only here and is known around the world really.

For preservation, people are really still stuck with old techniques. The crop is laid out in open dry fields after harvest so the sun dries it. Harvest time is dry and dusty part of the year in that area, the crop out is open catches dust and that is a problem in exploring the export potential properly. Also towards the end of that drying process (which takes a few weeks) monsoon starts so it is often that some of the crop is destroyed in rains. The need is for EPB or TDAP as they call it now to step up and establish multiple de-hydration plants. They helped local farmers in Sargodah area with Kino export, establishing countless polishing and processing plants and something similar needs to be done in Kunri for chili. The de-hydration plants will make sure that all crop is as per export standards. Currently, there is one private plant running but we have around 100000 acres of chili farms in that area, one plant wont cut it!

People are taking small steps however to improve the standards. For example, since a few years, an NGO provided the farmers with sheets that they are required to put on the floor before the put the crop on it to dry. That is helping with reducing the dust it collected. Similarly one person i know have set up a small unit near Islamabad, he buy truck load of chili, process it in his unit and is exporting. However non of this is nearly enough. If the gov. can help establish some processing plants, this easily is a multi million dollar export.

 

[BHarwana]

I have family in interior Sindh. We are Punjabi but my fathers family, grandparents and uncles settled in interior Sindh in a small town called KUNRI after partition so there is the strong connection.
About KUNRI, it is famous for one thing, CHILIES! There is a special breed, called dandi cut is produced only here and is known around the world really.

For preservation, people are really still stuck with old techniques. The crop is laid out in open dry fields after harvest so the sun dries it. Harvest time is dry and dusty part of the year in that area, the crop out is open catches dust and that is a problem in exploring the export potential properly. Also towards the end of that drying process (which takes a few weeks) monsoon starts so it is often that some of the crop is destroyed in rains. The need is for EPB or TDAP as they call it now to step up and establish multiple de-hydration plants. They helped local farmers in Sargodah area with Kino export, establishing countless polishing and processing plants and something similar needs to be done in Kunri for chili. The de-hydration plants will make sure that all crop is as per export standards. Currently, there is one private plant running but we have around 100000 acres of chili farms in that area, one plant wont cut it!

People are taking small steps however to improve the standards. For example, since a few years, an NGO provided the farmers with sheets that they are required to put on the floor before the put the crop on it to dry. That is helping with reducing the dust it collected. Similarly one person i know have set up a small unit near Islamabad, he buy truck load of chili, process it in his unit and is exporting. However non of this is nearly enough. If the gov. can help establish some processing plants, this easily is a multi million dollar export.

There are very small steps required and we already have agricultural department who is only chair breaking. Educating farmers in crop preservation according to European standards and providing plants for de-hydrating can improve our exports. These steps are crucial to reduce trade deficit and generate more foreign exchange.