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Recently, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) successfully exported the first consignment of GI-tagged Dalle Chilly from Sikkim to the Solomon Islands.

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• Consignment of approximately 15,000 kg of fresh Dalle Chilly sourced from farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in South Sikkim for exporting it to Solomon Islands.
• Of the total quantity, 9,000 kg was dehydrated, while 6,000 kg was preserved for further processing and export.
• This consignment ensured farmers received a premium price of Rs 250-300 per kg compared to the usual Rs 180-200 per kg.
• The processing of the consignment was undertaken at an APEDA-funded Integrated Pack House, developed by the Department of Horticulture, Sikkim.
• The drying process yielded a 12.5% recovery rate, with 1,600 kg of fresh chillies processed into 200 kg of dried chillies for export.

Dalle Chilly

It is also known as Fire Ball Chilly or Dalle Khursani, and is renowned for its intense pungency, bright red color, and high nutritional value. 

The chilli belongs to the family Solanaceae and genus Capsicum.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) granted the GI tag to Dalle Chilly in 2020, for its unique and highly pungent variety grown in Sikkim. 

It is rich in vitamins A, C, and E, along with potassium. 

Its Scoville Heat Units (SHU) range from 100,000 to 350,000, making it a sought-after spice for both culinary and medicinal applications.

• The Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale measures the pungency (or "heat") of chili peppers, ranging from 0 SHU to over 2 million SHU for the hottest peppers like the Carolina Reaper. 

Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

• GI tag identifies goods originating from a specific location and having a distinct nature, quality, and characteristics linked to that location. 
• GI tags are issued as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 (GI Act).
• The first product in India to receive a Geographical Indication (GI) tag was Darjeeling Tea in 2004-2005.
• Geographical Indication (GI) tags in India are given in the following major categories: agricultural products, natural products, manufactured goods, food items, textiles and handicrafts. 

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)

• It is a statutory body established under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985.
• The Authority replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC).
• The Chairman of the authority is appointed by the Central Government.

Key function of APEDA:

• Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export.
• Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products.
• Fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports.