The best variety depends on what you need from the chilli: heat, colour or a balance. Sannam S4 is the main all-purpose export chilli. Teja is chosen for strong heat. Byadgi and Kashmiri types are chosen for deep red colour with milder heat.
Most Indian dry chilli comes from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with Guntur the main trading centre. Karnataka is known for Byadgi.
The main export varieties
- Sannam S4: a medium to hot, all-purpose chilli with good colour. Widely exported whole and as powder, and a common reference grade in the trade.
- Teja: a small, very hot chilli, often linked with the Khammam area of Telangana. Chosen for pungency, including by oleoresin makers and markets that like heat.
- Byadgi: from Karnataka, wrinkled, deep red, with low heat. Chosen for colour, including for paprika-style uses and colour extraction.
- Kashmiri type: deep red, mild. Much of what is sold as Kashmiri chilli is grown outside Kashmir, so treat the name as a type.
- Other hybrids: the trade also handles varieties such as 341, Wonder Hot and Devanur Deluxe, each with its own balance of heat and colour.
Choosing by use
- Heat for sauces and seasonings: Teja or other hot varieties.
- General cooking and chilli powder: Sannam S4.
- Colour for blends or paprika replacement: Byadgi or Kashmiri types.
- Extraction of oleoresin: driven by either heat or colour yield, depending on the product.
- Ethnic retail packs: whatever your customers ask for by name.
Measures to specify
Variety names are a starting point, not a quality guarantee. The same variety can vary widely between farms, seasons and storage conditions. Specify the measures that matter for your product. Our guides on ASTA colour value and the SHU range of Indian chillies explain the two main tests.
- Stemless or with stem.
- Colour value, often measured in ASTA units.
- Pungency, measured in Scoville heat units or capsaicin content.
- Moisture and broken or discoloured pods.
- Aflatoxin and ochratoxin, a known risk in dry chilli.
- Pesticide residues against your market's limits.
- No added colour, with a test for Sudan and other synthetic dyes.
Season and storage
Chilli is harvested roughly January to April. Much of the crop is held in cold stores around Guntur and released through the year, which helps colour and reduces insect damage. Ask how long a lot has been stored and under what conditions. Pods that have sat too long in warm, humid stores lose colour and can develop mould. The guide on controlling aflatoxin in dry red chilli explains why drying and storage matter.
How we help
We help you pick the chilli variety that fits your product, compare samples from processors and have them tested for colour, pungency, aflatoxin and residues at NABL-accredited labs. To start, ask for a free sourcing review.