Minister for Large and Medium Industries and district-in-charge Jagadish Shettar has said that a permanent exhibition space would be developed in nine acres at the APMC yard in Amargol, Hubballi, to facilitate various exhibitions (melas) for food products, including dry chilli.
He was inaugurating the three-day ‘Dry Chilli Mela’ organised by Karnataka State Spices Development Board, Department of Horticulture, Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee, Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and farmers’ organisations at Moorusavir Mutt High School Ground on Saturday. The mela aims at providing a platform for direct selling to customers by farmers.
The Minister said that in the ‘Investors Meet’ to be held in Hubballi on February 14, several food processing industries would participate and in the coming days, the agriculture produce in the region would get better prices.
Subsequently, accompanied by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, former Minister Basavaraj Horatti, MLAs Prasad Abbayya and Kusumavati Shivalli and Managing Director of the Spices Development Board Manjunath Narayanpur, Mr. Shettar visited the stalls at the mela and interacted with the farmers.
A total of 103 stalls have been set up at the mela, which will conclude on Monday evening. Food for all participating farmers has been arranged at Moorusavir Mutt.
Farmers from various villages of Dharwad district and neighbouring districts are participating in the three day event and on the first day the farmers had a good business. Different prices have been fixed for varieties of dry chilli and the prices range between ₹240 and ₹360.
This is the 10th edition of the chilli mela in Hubballi. A few farmers said that yield was less this year due to heavy rains and floods. However, many customers were happy that they were able to get good quality dry chilli directly from the farmers.
