Prakasam Andhra Pradesh Chilli Cooperative

Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, along with Guntur, is the largest chilli-producing district in India. Farmers grow Byadagi, LCA334, and Teja varieties in black cotton and red loamy soils under canal and bore well irrigation. Chilli is dried in farm courtyards or on tarpaulins for three to four weeks, then threshed and sold at Guntur and Khammam APMC markets, which are Asia largest chilli trading platforms. Cooperative growers in Prakasam organise collective cold storage to hold stock through high-price windows. India exports over one hundred and fifty thousand tonnes of chilli annually, primarily from AP and Telangana. Cooperative certification for capsaicin content ensures authentic Byadagi and Teja premium to export buyers. Prakasam chilli cooperative promotes pesticide-free cultivation for organic export market.