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- Ministry of Commerce & Industry informed that a batch of ‘Raja Mircha,’ also known as king chilli, from Nagaland was flown to London through Guwahati by air for the first time on July 28, providing a big boost to exports of Geographical Indications (GI) items from the north-eastern region.
- The consignment of King Chilli also considered as world’s hottest based on the Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).
- The consignment was sourced from Tening, part of Peren district, Nagaland and was packed at APEDA assisted packhouse at Guwahati.
- The chilli from Nagaland is also referred as Bhoot Jolokia and Ghost pepper.
- It got GI certification in 2008.
World’s hottest chilli
- Because of its perishable nature, exporting fresh King Chilli was a challenge.
- Nagaland King Chilli is a member of the Capsicum genus in the Solanaceae family.
- The Naga king chilli has long been regarded as the world’s hottest chilli, consistently ranking in the top five on lists of the hottest chillies in the world based on SHUs.
- APEDA in collaboration with the Nagaland State Agricultural Marketing Board (NSAMB), coordinated the first export consignment of fresh King Chilli.
- APEDA had coordinated with NSAMB in sending samples for laboratory testing in June and July 2021 and the results were encouraging as it is grown organically.
- Exporting fresh King Chilli posed a challenge because of its highly perishable nature.
- APEDA would continue to focus on the north eastern region and has been carrying out promotional activities to bring the North-Eastern states on the export map.
- In 2021, APEDA has facilitated exports of Jackfruits from Tripura to London and Germany, Assam Lemon to London, Red rice of Assam to the United States and Leteku ‘Burmese Grape’ to Dubai.
Raja Mircha
- In some places, Raja Mircha is also called Naga Morich.
- The Raja Mircha is a small-medium shrub with huge leaves, small, five-petaled flowers, and blisteringly hot fruit, like many other variants of the species.
- It is slightly smaller than the Bih Jolokia and has a pimply ribbed texture in contrast to the smoother flesh of the other two types.
- According to residents of Nagaland, the chilli is best enjoyed fresh.
- It is believed that it tends to lose its intensity with time, so the sooner you eat it, the better.
- It is usually pickled with oil, salt and vinegar to preserve it throughout the year.
- It works well with meat-based curries and stir-fry dishes.
- Raja Mirchi chille peppers are native to the states of Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur, located in the small northeastern panhandle of India.
- These regions are known for their extreme temperatures, reaching up to 54 °C, and it is believed that the temperature and high humidity are what contribute to the escalating heat levels within the peppers.
- Raja Mirchi chile peppers first gained international attention in 2000 when an Assam based defense research laboratory claimed the variety as the world’s hottest pepper.
- Raja Mirchi chille peppers are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which are antioxidants that can help boost the immune system and repair damage within the skin caused by environmental aggressors.
- The peppers also contain a high amount of capsaicin, which is a chemical compound that triggers the brain to feel the sensation of heat or spice.
- Capsaicin contains many anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce digestive irregularities and encourages the body to sweat, creating a cooling sensation on hot summer days.
GI Tags Of Nagaland
Question:
Which of the following Mirch is known as the sweet pepper?
- Raja Mircha
- Shimla Mirch
- Punjab Lal
- Pusa Jwala
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