Pic: MLA NH Konaraddi (green shawl) after inaugurating dry chilli mela in Hubballi on Friday. Kundgol MLA MR Patil is also seenHubballi: Farmers should come forward to grow commercial crops and new varieties, MLA NH Konaraddi said after inaugurating the 14th dry red chilli mela at the Murusavira Math High School grounds in Hubballi on Friday.
He inaugurated the mela, organised in collaboration with the Karnataka State Spices Development Board, the horticulture department, the Karnataka Entrepreneurship Institute, the Amarashiva Farmers Producers’ Association, Sanshi (Kundagol), and the Uluva Yogi Horticulture Farmers Producer Company Ltd.Konaraddi said the Byadagi chilli variety is grown in various places, including Navalgund, Naragund, Gadag, Kundagol, and Bagalkot. He said the Horticulture University of Bagalkot researched new varieties of crops and that new varieties should reach farmers.He said red chilli was used more and that red chilli did not cause diseases. He said red chilli was also used more in cities such as Bengaluru and Mumbai. He added that the centre and the govt should provide subsidies and support prices to farmers, and that the country’s crops should be exported to foreign countries.Konaraddi said it cost a lot of money to grow chilli crops and that the area under dry chilli cultivation was decreasing. He said it was necessary to encourage farmers who grew chillies and that farmers should be encouraged to grow crops according to the weather.MLA MR Patil said farmers should be encouraged to grow red chillies and that more publicity should be given to Byadagi chillies. He said crops required good weather and that farmers should be informed about new varieties.
