The 2nd Edition of the Naga King Chilli Festival was held at New Puilwa village, Peren on September 29, with the participation of local communities, government departments and stakeholders involved in the promotion of Naga King Chilli and horticultural produce.

D Robin, ADC Peren, who attended the festival as the Special Guest encouraged the farmers to scale up commercial production and to expand and adopt a market-oriented approach to tap into the growing commercial potential of the crop. Emphasis was laid on increasing productivity, maintaining quality standards and adopting improved cultivation, harvesting and post-harvest management practices to enhance the market value of King Chilli.

Farmers were urged to explore wider domestic and external markets and strengthen market linkages through collective marketing. Greater focus on value addition, proper packaging, branding and quality preservation was also emphasised to enable farmers to secure better returns from their produce.

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The festival featured a traditional howling and the introduction of the Special Guest. Representatives from the Department of Industries & Commerce and Department of Horticulture, Peren also delivered brief remarks highlighting the importance of promoting local produce, entrepreneurship and market opportunities.

A special melody was presented by Etwapeule Nza. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by the Chairman, Village Council.

The inauguration ceremony concluded with an inspection of the various stalls by the Special Guest and other guests, showcasing Naga King Chilli and other locally produced agricultural and horticultural products.