The 12th Dry Chill Mela will be held at the Moorusavir Mutt High School Playground in Hubballi from Friday to provide direct marketing platform to chilli growers from the region.
Addressing presspersons in Hubballi on Wednesday, Managing Director of Karnataka State Spices Development Board B.R. Girish said that the three-day event is being organized in association with the Horticulture Department, the Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee of Hubballi, the Amara Shiva Farm Producers Organisation, Suanshi, and Uluva Yogi FPO, Hubballi.
The chilli mela will be inaugurated by Labour Minister Sanotsh Lad at 11 a.m., while Minister for Horticulture and Chairman of the Board S.S. Mallikarjun will inaugurate the stalls.
Chairman of Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, Sri Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami of Moorusavir Mutt, Chairman of NWKRTC Bharamagouda (Raju) Kage, Chairman of Karnataka Slum Development Board Prasad Abbayya and others will participate, he said.
The objective of the chilli mela is to create a platform and encourage farmers to directly sell their produce to consumers, he said.
Mr. Girish said that during last year’s chilli mela, around 100 farmers participated in the event selling around 246 quintals of dry chilli of different varieties worth ₹1.10 crore.
He also appealed to farmers to register their names in advance at the taluk horticulture offices or at the office of the Spices Board by providing details of their farmland and Aadhaar card.
