Red chilli is an important spice in Indian food, we use it in tadka, gravy of dishes, pickles, chutneys etc. Out of many regions of chilli production in India, Madhya Pradesh accounts for 15.83% of India’s chilli production according to National Horticulture Board data of 2021-22, and Khargone district of MP alone accounts for 28300 ha of chilli area. These chillies are grown in the Nimar region of MP, so are known as Nimar chillies, having a heat index of SHU of 80,000 units, 0.50% capsaicin and a colour value of 101.7 ASTA Units. These Nimar chillies are also nominated for a geographical indication (GI) tag and gained attraction in international markets as part of the government’s “One District, One Product” initiative.
Bediya Chilli Mandi is the largest chilli market in the state and the second-largest chilli market in the country. The average daily dispatch to outside markets from this mandi during the peak period is 5400 quintals and during other seasons is 1400 quintals. Photos and observations used in this essay are taken from Bediya Mirch Mandi and nearby villages.
Red chillies cover a long way before reaching our kitchen’s spice tray. A lot of handling goes into its care due to its peculiarities like fungus, water damage, insect damage, too much drying etc. which leads to too much handling, and sorting again and again. Red chillies also create direct damage to the body like hand irritation, skin allergies, and coughing, and the workers who work for it are exposed to all the risks.
It is also important to know that this Bediya mandi is 40+ years old, and many migrant families come to this village for 6 months (October – April) to work for chillies, this mandi is also an important livelihood for many localities. 180 + traders live temporarily in the mandi area to buy chillies in the market, prepare them for export and export them to their locations. ‘The most important quality of this mandi is, that we can sell any chilli and can buy every variety of chilli here’ says a local trader.
The market in this Bediya Mirch Mandi happens every Wednesday, Thursday Saturday and Sunday from morning 6 am to 10 am where farmers come to sell the chillies to traders, the chillies brought by farmers are cleaned, sorted and dried and when sold in mandi the traders again hire workers for sorting, destalking to make it export quality material and get it packed.
Women in this process of chilli production are doing paid labour which is underpaid and is invisible as they do not get their worker’s rights which consist of occupational health and safety measures, they also carry domesticity at the workplace by cleaning the workplace before and after working, fetching water from well to share it with other members working together, and taking care of children at the workplace.
Women are also doing unpaid family labour as they work from home for chillies as a duty and an extension of household chores, they are responsible for sorting chillies which they do on the terrace, parallelly they get dried, sitting in the courtyard and saving chillies from animals, children, rains etc.
These pictures are an attempt to make the Invisible hands behind the red chillies visible. This story isn’t just about red chilli pepper on our plates, it’s a journey that reveals the unseen labour which goes into bringing red chilli to your kitchen.
Shraddha is pursuing a Master’s degree in Development from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. She is passionate about working on issues relating to the unpaid labour of women