India will soon begin to produce and export pesticide-free chillies, if some of the novel initiatives from the Spices Board are of any indication.

The Board has embarked upon a major mission to ensure the production of pesticide-free chillies in Andhra Pradesh, which accounts for 75 percent of chilli produce in India.

Chillies from Andhra Pradesh contributes to exports worth $150 million. Andhra has a number of chilli producing centres with Guntoor being the largest.

But in the last few years, chilli exports from the state have been facing quality issues in the markets of the US and Europe.

The quality issues might be a thing of the past soon. The Spices Board has decided to train self help groups in the non-pesticide management of chillies.

"We plan to produce and export the chillis as NPM chilli (non-pesticide management) in both the international and domestic markets," a senior Spices Board official coordinating the programme said.

As per the plan, SHGs network will train people engaged in chilli production to limit the use of the Sudan Red dye used by farmers to make the chilli powder into a deeper shade of red.

The SHG network is being set up by the Spices Board in collaboration with the Andhra government and the Central Commerce Ministry. Already, the Spices Board has committed Rs 40 lakh for setting up the SHG network in the state.

The Board has also plans to invest Rs 20 crore for setting up 50 solar polyhouses across Andhra Pradesh. These will be set up in addition to the 50 solar poly houses already operating in the state. Each of these solar houses will be set up at a cost of Rs 40,000 by the board.