Hubballi: Jagajyoti Basaveshwar APMC, one of Asia’s largest markets, is receiving low quantity of dry chilli. It also set a new record price of Rs 78,211 per quintal for Dabbi Kempu chilli in the past three weeks. The kaddi variety is being sold at Rs 59,000 to Rs 63,000. Attracted by high prices, many growers are bringing their produce to the market. However, arrivals are lower compared to previous years.KH Guruprasad, secretary, APMC, Hubballi, told TOI that the market is receiving 25,000 bags per week for the past 3 weeks, while it was 40,000 per week in the same season last year. “We received a total of 30,470 quintals, and the minimum price was Rs 1,100 and the maximum price was Rs 78,211. However, the arrival was 69,712 quintals and the maximum price was Rs 46,001 in the same period in 2025,” he explained.
Basavaraj Ekalaspur, former president, APMC Cell, Karnatak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who is also a commission agent, observed that the turnover of dry chilli is increasing every year. “Unlike the Byadagi chilli market, Hubballi gets a very minimum number of varieties, among which Byadagi and Deluxe Dabbi (Kashmiri) are the main arrivals here. They used to be bought in the range of Rs 46,000 to Rs 48,000, but this year, it is almost over Rs 70,000 per quintal. Yield is arriving from Gadag, Bagalkot, Vijyapura, Belagavi, and other districts. To cater to the needs of growers, we are holding a special market on Wednesday and Saturday, which used to be held once a week earlier.“The market used to witness 10 to 20 buyers every day in previous years, but this year we are observing 80 to 100 buyers. Due to heavy rains, dry chilli crop was grown less in the region, but turnover in the market has increased. However, trading of dry chilli may stop by the end of March this year. It continued until June to July last year,” he analysed.Ramesh Taligyal, a farmer from Sulibhavi village in Hunagund taluk, shared that last time he sold his produce at prices between Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 per quintal. “This time, we sold it at Rs 70,000 per quintal. However, one need not think that our income doubled. Our yield reduced from 4 to 5 quintals per acre to 2 quintals this year. So we are where we were,” he regretted.He added that he sold his crop at the Hubballi APMC market, where the number of buyers increased by 4 to 5 times, and growers are getting a good price.
