Spices of Guntur
The Andhra town at the centre of India's largest chilli-growing belt, with a huge chilli market and cold stores.
Traded and grown here
Best time: February to April, in the main harvest and drying season.
Guntur is a city in Andhra Pradesh, on the plain between the Krishna and the coast. The surrounding districts grow a large share of India's dried red chillies, and the town is home to one of the biggest chilli yards in Asia.
Spices and trade
Guntur is known for chillies of several types, including hot varieties grown for heat and others grown for colour. Farmers bring dried chillies to the market yard, where traders buy them for the domestic market and for export. Cold storage keeps stocks through the year.
The place and its people
The harvest season turns the countryside red, as chillies are spread to dry on roads and yards. Andhra food is known for its heat, and chilli appears in pickles, podis and curries across the state.
Visiting
The market yard is a working trade site, so ask permission before entering or taking photographs. The harvest period is the most striking time to see the drying fields.
A trail idea for Guntur
- The chilli market yard See the bags piled high and the traders grading by colour and heat.
- Drying yards Look at the chillies laid out in the sun in season.
- A local Andhra meal Eat a spicy meal with pickles and podi.
- Amaravati nearby Visit the old Buddhist site on the Krishna.
Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Guntur" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.