Sikkim's GI-tagged Dalle chilly makes its way to Solomon Islands

In a major boost to India's organic agricultural exports, the first-ever consignment of Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Dalle Chilly from Sikkim has been successfully shipped to the Solomon Islands. 

Facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, this milestone underscores the rising global demand for premium organic produce from India's Northeast.

Popularly known as Fire Ball Chilly or Dalle Khursani, this fiery red spice is renowned for its intense pungency, vibrant color, and rich nutritional content, including high levels of vitamins A, C, and E, along with essential minerals like potassium. With a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating between 100,000 and 350,000, Dalle Chilly is widely sought after for both culinary and medicinal uses worldwide.

Leading this export initiative is Mevedir, a key agri-export enterprise dedicated to promoting Sikkim's organic produce. The company sourced 15,000 kg of fresh Dalle Chillies from local farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in Tinkitam and Tarku, South Sikkim, ensuring them a premium price of ₹250-300 per kg, significantly higher than the domestic market rate of ₹180-200 per kg.

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The consignment underwent meticulous processing at an APEDA-funded Integrated Pack House, managed by the Sikkim Horticulture Department. Of the total produce, 9,000 kg was dehydrated, yielding 200 kg of dried chillies from 1,600 kg of fresh produce, while the remaining 6,000 kg was preserved for future processing and exports.

Dalle Chilly’s journey to the Solomon Islands began after its successful international debut at a 2023 promotional event in Singapore, which drew direct interest from buyers in the Pacific nation. This marked a shift from previous indirect export routes to direct sourcing, reinforcing trust in India's organic agricultural supply chain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasized the importance of India’s Northeast as a hub for sustainable and organic agriculture, with GI tags playing a transformative role in boosting economic prospects for local farmers. The GI tag for Dalle Chilly, awarded in 2020 by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has significantly elevated its global visibility and marketability.

India’s commitment to organic farming in the Northeast is spearheaded by the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER) under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. This initiative has strengthened production, quality, and supply chain logistics, giving organic produce like Dalle Chilly a competitive edge in international markets.

With APEDA’s collaboration alongside the Sikkim Agriculture Department and its Guwahati regional office, this export marks a critical step in positioning Sikkim as a major player in the global spice industry. Leveraging the region’s ideal climate and fertile soils, Sikkim is set to become a key supplier of premium organic spices.

Beyond boosting India's agricultural exports, this milestone offers economic empowerment to Sikkim’s farmers, encourages sustainable farming practices, and opens doors for further global trade partnerships. The success of Dalle Chilly on the world stage is a testament to the region’s growing influence in the organic spice market.