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Indian Red Chilli

Guntur (heat), Byadgi (colour) and Kashmiri (mild) chillies — the three pillars of Indian export chilli. Premium Indian red chillies — Guntur (high heat), Byadgi (deep colour), Kashmiri (mild, premium). Whole or powder. ASTA colour value 80–125, SHU 30,000–50,000+.

Guntur · Byadgi & KashmiriYear-RoundHS 09042110
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Indian Red Chilli
The category

Why Indian red chilli for export

India is the world's largest producer of dried red chilli, with three internationally-recognised commercial categories: Guntur from Andhra Pradesh (high heat, high pungency, the global mass-market workhorse); Byadgi from Karnataka (deep red colour, low-medium heat, the global colourant standard); and Kashmiri (mild heat, deep red colour, premium specialty).

For most export buyers, the choice between Guntur and Byadgi comes down to what the chilli is used for: pungency-driven applications (curry pastes, sauces, food service) take Guntur; colour-driven applications (paprika substitution, oleoresin extraction, biryani garnishing) take Byadgi.

ZoeM works with farmer producer organisations across Guntur and Byadgi regions. Pre-shipment testing covers ASTA colour value (80–125), SHU (Scoville heat units), aflatoxin (<10 ppb), moisture (<10%), and pesticide residues. Stems are removed for export grades, machine-cleaned.

Variety guide

Compare varieties & grades

We supply the variety and grade most appropriate to your target market and end use. Below is a side-by-side comparison.

High heat

Guntur (Sannam, S4, S5)

Andhra Pradesh's flagship chilli. High pungency, moderate colour. The global workhorse for spice processors.

  • SHU 30,000–50,000+
  • ASTA colour 80–110
  • Length 4–8 cm
  • Best for Curry pastes, mass-market sauces, food service
  • Top markets Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, USA
Premium colour

Byadgi & Kashmiri

Byadgi (Karnataka) and Kashmiri varieties — known for deep red colour with milder heat. Premium specialty exports.

  • Byadgi SHU 8,000–15,000
  • Byadgi ASTA colour 120–160 (deep red)
  • Kashmiri SHU 1,000–2,000 (mild)
  • Kashmiri ASTA colour 95–110
  • Best for Colour applications, biryani, oleoresin
  • Top markets Europe, Middle East, Korea, Japan
Origin

Where ZoeM sources from

Primary regions: Andhra Pradesh (Guntur) · Karnataka (Byadgi). Full sourcing footprint: Andhra Pradesh (Guntur, Warangal), Karnataka (Byadgi, Bagalkot), Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh.

Season: Harvest Jan–Mar; year-round supply from cold storage and overlapping regions.

We work with farmer producer organisations (FPOs), cooperatives and direct grower networks in each region. Pre-shipment grading and quality control happens at FSSAI-licensed packhouses and processing facilities close to the source farms, minimising post-harvest delay.

Specifications

Trade specifications

Standard export specifications. Custom grading available on confirmed orders.

HS Code09042110 (Whole) / 09042210 (Crushed/Ground)
Botanical NameCapsicum annuum L. / Capsicum frutescens L.
Origin StatesAndhra Pradesh (Guntur), Karnataka (Byadgi), J&K (Kashmir), MP
VarietiesGuntur Sannam / S4 / S5 · Byadgi Kaddi / Dabbi · Kashmiri
SHU (Heat)1,000 (Kashmiri) – 50,000+ (Guntur)
ASTA Colour Value80 (Guntur) – 160 (Byadgi premium)
Moisture<10%
Aflatoxin B1<5 ppb (EU standard); total aflatoxin <10 ppb
StemStemless export grades
Packaging25kg PP or HDPE bags; jute; retail pouches 100g–1kg
Container loadingApprox. 14–16 MT per 40' container (whole chilli, low density)
Shelf life12–18 months from packing in cool dry storage
Shipping portsChennai, Tuticorin, Mundra, JNPT
Quality assurance

Certifications & quality control

Every shipment is certified, lab-tested, and traceable to its source. This is non-negotiable for our buyers and forms the spine of our supplier relationships.

APEDAAgricultural & Processed Food Export Authority — Government of India
FSSAIFood Safety & Standards Authority of India license
GAPGood Agricultural Practices — farm-level certification
MSME / UdyamIndian Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
IECImporter-Exporter Code — DGFT
NABL Lab TestingPre-shipment testing at NABL-accredited Indian labs

Pre-shipment lab testing — every shipment ships with a NABL-accredited lab report covering relevant quality and safety parameters for the product type (moisture, residues, microbiological, density, colour, etc.). The report travels with the shipment documentation.

Phytosanitary & fumigation — we arrange Indian Plant Quarantine Department phytosanitary certificates and any required pre-shipment fumigation per the importing country’s regulations.

Traceability — we record source farm, packhouse, processing date and container number for every shipment.

Buyer questions

Frequently asked questions

Guntur vs Byadgi — which should I buy?
Guntur for HEAT and pungency (curry pastes, sauces, food service). Byadgi for COLOUR (biryani, oleoresin extraction, paprika substitution). Kashmiri for mild heat + colour (premium retail).
What is the heat (SHU) of your chillies?
Guntur: 30,000–50,000+ SHU. Byadgi: 8,000–15,000. Kashmiri: 1,000–2,000 (mild). All measured at NABL-accredited labs.
What is ASTA colour value?
ASTA (American Spice Trade Association) colour value measures red pigmentation. Higher = deeper red. Guntur 80–110 (medium), Byadgi 120–160 (deep), Kashmiri 95–110.
Do you test for aflatoxin?
Yes. Every shipment is NABL-tested for aflatoxin B1 (<5 ppb EU standard) and total aflatoxin (<10 ppb). Critical for export to EU and Japan.
Whole chilli or powder — which ships better?
Whole chilli is preferred for export — longer shelf life, less adulteration risk, buyers can grind at destination. Powder available on request, packed in smaller retail-ready units.
Can you supply organic?
Yes, certified organic available on dedicated orders. USDA Organic / EU Organic certification possible. ~30–50% price premium.
Do you remove stems?
Standard export grades are stemless. Custom requirements (stem-on for traditional markets) possible on request.