For the 3rd consecutive edition, Seiyhama Village under Kohima District is bringing the Organic King Chilli – Naga Mircha Festival 2024 at Seiyhama village on 6 September.
Inviting the public to come and witness the festival, the organizing committee during a press conference here at Kohima today announced that the festival will be held at the Cultural Hall, Seiyhama from 10:00 am with Director of Horticulture Department, Meyasashi as the Special Guest.
Highlighting about the festival, Savio Metha, General Secretary of the Organizing Committee said that at the festival, varieties of products including dry, fresh king chilli, pounded, pickled items of king chilli, organic vegetables and fruits will be available for purchasing. Additionally, he said, the king chilli in a tin box will be available at a lower rate than market.
The festival will see other highlights including king chilly eating and traditional games like bamboo walk, bamboo climbing, war cry and catapult shooting. The organisers informed that the competition is open to all and cash prizes will be given to the winners.
The price for highest production of king chilly and best quality among the cultivators will also be given, Metha also said. Further, there will be food stalls at the festival where visitors can get a chance to taste the cuisine of Seiyhama village.
The organizers said that this year they are expecting around 2500 kilograms (around 700 tins) of king chilly for the festival. Strategically placed during the highest month of harvest, the festival will feature one week harvest, they added.
According to the organizers, it was informed that as of 2024 data, the village have 157 households cultivating king chilly. In 2024, Seiyhama village is expecting to harvest 14000 kilograms that is 4000 tins. The revenue earned would be around Rs. 60 lakhs.
The organizers further said they are expecting visitors well further from Kohima and other districts.
Kevineizo Zumu, Information and Publicity Secretary, informed that the festival began in 2022 by leaders of the village who took a firm decision with the king chilly growers of Seiyhama village to organize a first of its kind event.
Read more: Seiyhama Village hosts first ever Naga Mircha festival
Convener of the Festival and Chairman, Lhoulalie Zumu, while speaking about Seiyhama Village, informed that it is one of the last village in the Northern Angami region bordering with the Rengma tribe having around 1200 population.
With suitable climatic condition and spacious cultivable land, the convener said that King chilli cultivation has been a boon for the farmers to generate income to the families of the village. Highlighting the farming techniques, Zumu said that the village practices strict adherence to organic farming by banning use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, practicing slash and burn, choosing strategic places like banana or bamboo groves for cultivation. He also stated that King chilli is cultivated only once in a year which has its period for preparation of the various stages of cultivation.
Zumu also said that the village have four raja mircha varieties whose variation are differentiated by the colour.
The event is being sponsored by Horticulture Department, Government of Nagaland.
