Chilli arrivals pick up in Andhra

Despite heavy rains and speculations of falling prices, chilli arrivals have increased here over the last week. About 27,115 quintals of fresh crop arrived at the market here yesterday. Last week, around 52,000 quintals arrived in the market.

However, traders seemed to have slowed down purchases. Farmers saw this as a tactic to keep prices in check.

Discounting traders' negative talks, chilli prices have remained steady. In fact, fresh chilli special varieties fetched better prices last week. Farmers fetched Rs 4,300 for fresh special chilli yesterday.

Last week, the prices of the special variety were hovering around Rs 5,300, while that of the common grade was around Rs 4,200 a quintal.

On Monday, the common grade was ruling at Rs 3,800.Cold storage chilli common varieties (old crop) are gradually losing market as the quality of fresh crop is at par with that of the former.

K Rosaiah, president, Guntur Chilli Merchants, said they were hoping for arrival of good crop by March 15.

Exporters will buy the crop heavily before Bangladesh crop hits the global market in April. "Our exports to the US, Europe, South East Asia are expected to go up," he said.