About 104.63 thousand tons of green chillis were produced during the year 2008-09 to fulfil the domestic consumption. An official of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and livestock told APP here on Sunday that chillis were cultivated over 48.81 thousand hectares land during current financial year.
He said that 56.30 thousand hectares land was set as target to produce 104.50 thousand tons chillis during 2008-09. The area under chillis' production was decreased as compared to the area under green chillis production during the same period last year, he added.
He said that despite the decrease in total area under production, the crop output was increased. The official said that Sindh was the largest chili producing province where 38.10 thousand hectares land was put utilised for the purpose, saying that 88.51 thousand tons of crop was achieved, he added. He further said in Punjab about 5.61 thousand hectares land was set to cultivate green chillis while, 8.92 million tons of crop output was obtained during 2008-09.
In Balochistan and NWFP provinces green chillis were grown over 4.5, 0.60, thousand hectares land while 6.50 and 0.70 thousand tons chilli was produced respectively, he added. During the year average 2143 .62 kg per hectare green chillis was produced, he added.