Guwahati: Mizoram agriculture minister C. Lalrinsanga said on Monday during the assembly session that Mizoram would soon export “Bird’s eye Chili,” a typical organic Mizo chilli to the United States (US) for the first time.
The agricultural minister responded to a follow-up query from opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) leader Lalduhoma by announcing that 7.5 metric tonnes of organic bird’s eye chilli would be sent to the US. After the current budget session, which ends on Tuesday, he claimed, the shipment would be transferred to the US.
According to Lalrinsanga, the government has geographically identified (GI) the bird’s eye chilli also known as the Mizo chilli. He said that the chilli had successfully passed an organic confirmation test last week in Bangalore. The agricultural minister added in a different response that the state administration is working to boost jhum cultivation.
According to him, six districts are implementing the Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming System in the Northeast (FOCUS) as part of an Externally Assisted Project (EAP) to enhance jhum farming. The minister added that 20 villages in the six districts covered by FOCUS would employ a three-tier Integrated Farming System (IFS) to enhance jhum or slash-and-burn farming.
Since the majority of the population depends on agriculture, Mizoram is primarily an agrarian state. In the state, shifting cultivation also known as traditional jhum, is very common.
A perennial, the bird’s eye chilli plant has small, tapering fruits, frequently two or three at a node. The fruits have a strong flavour.
The bird’s eye chilli is a tiny yet potent pepper. It is considerably hotter than the spiciest jalapenos, measuring between 100,000 and 225,000 Scoville units which is at the lower end of the range for the habanero.