Source : Indiamart
History and Background
The Naga chilli, also known as Raja mircha, is a native crop of Nagaland that is widely farmed in Peren, Mon, Kohima, and Dimapur. It is thought to have its origins in the Zeliangrong region of Nagaland. The Naga people highly value the Naga mircha, which is small, crimson, and extremely hot. It has long been a staple of Nagaland’s food and is enjoyed by the inhabitants either fresh or dried. It is one of the hottest chillies in the world with over 10,00,000 SHUs on the Scoville scale for pungency.
In the Seiyhama village, 200 of the 361 households cultivate Naga Mircha, giving them a stable source of income. Large scale cultivators are anticipated to make close to Rs. 4 to 5 lakh this year, while each of these households is anticipated to have a minimum income of Rs. 60,000 to Rs to Rs. 70,000. The education of many children has been sponsored by revenue from the cultivation of Naga Mircha. Naga Mircha received the Geographical Indication Tag (GI) in 2007.
Features
- Has an appealing aroma and pungency
Cultivation
The crop must be planted in soil that has the perfect amount of water for it to germinate and the right number of sun rays for it to reach its flaming best because it is quite sensitive to weather conditions. The greatest places to grow Naga chillies are in and surrounding bamboo and banana plantations, as well as on sites that have been utilized for farming for a long time. Prior to cultivation, the bamboo fields are cut up and set afire to ensure the best soil quality and a higher level of heat in the chiles.
The chillies are often sun-dried before being either frozen or smoked to preserve them. Prior to preservation, the chilli stems are broken because doing so will prolong the preservation of the green and red chiles. A small amount of asafoetida or little groundnut oil is added to retain the colour of the chilli.
Uses
- Used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics like pain balms, skin ointments
- It is also used as a pesticide and a deterrent for wild animals
- Used as antivenom
- It is sometimes processed and made in to pickles
Future
In 2022, the inaugural edition of the Naga Mircha festival was conducted in Seiyhama village of Kohima district in Nagaland. It was sponsored by the Nagaland Horticulture Department. This is one of the few initiatives planned to promote the promote the product. Nagaland actively engages in organic farming; therefore a number of fresh, cutting-edge strategies are being promoted to expand the area under cultivation in order to meet the rising demand. Over 20 lakh Naga indigenous are the main users and farmers of this chilli, according to the most recent statistics. Within India, the Naga mircha sells for between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,400 per kg. Every year, the Naga chilli eating contest is sponsored by the Department of Horticulture.
References
https://sahasa.in/2020/09/29/naga-mircha/
