Hyderabad: Warangal’s Chapata Chilli, known for its flaming red colour but surprisingly low spice quotient, is set to become the third agricultural produce and the 18th product from Telangana to bag the geographical indication (GI) tag.
The GI application of Warangal Chapata Chilli, also referred to as ‘tomato chilli‘ by locals due to its tomato-shaped appearance, was filed over two years ago by the Thimmampet Chilly Farmer Producer Company Limited. The application has now been accepted by the Indian Patent Office (IPO) and published in the Nov 27, 2024, issue of the ‘Geographical Indications Journal’.
The application was facilitated by the Mahabubabad-based Janna Reddy Venkat Reddy Horticultural Research Station (JVR HRS) of the Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University (SKLTGHU).
This unique chilli contains very low levels of capsaicin compared to other chilli varieties, putting it very low on the Scoville score at around 3,100-6,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). While its fresh ripe pods are much sought after for making pickles, its high oleoresin content of 6.37% to 6.75%, which gives it the bright red colour, also makes it ideal for extraction of paprika oleoresin, which is used as a natural colouring agent by the food and beverage industry.
The unique characteristics of the chilli are attributed to the red and black soil of the region, which is rich in potassium and phosphorus. According to locals, the cultivation of this chilli began in Nagaram and Nadikula villages in the Warangal region over 80 years ago, with the farmers getting the seeds from their ancestors.
This chilli variety is cultivated only in the Warangal region on around 6,783 acres across districts such as Warangal, Hanumakonda, Mulug, and Jayashankar Bhupalapally with about 10,950 metric tonnes being produced per annum.
“The publication of the Warangal Chapata Chilli is an important milestone in the GI registration process. Once its GI tag is registered, it will be able to command good prices in domestic and export markets,” said Subhajit Saha, GI practitioner & founder of Resolute4IP, which helped with the GI application.
