PANAJI
The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) of the central government has officially declared Goa’s popular Khola Chilli as a Farmer Plant Variety.
This is the first Farmer Plant Variety from Goa registered with the Plant Varieties Registry of PPV&FRA, according to details from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The Khola/Canacona Chilli Cultivators Group from Khola-Canacona has been officially recognised as the true breeder of this unique variety.
The group now holds exclusive rights to produce, sell, market, distribute, import, and export the variety for an initial period of six years and renewable up to 2039.
ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa played a pivotal role in the collection, characterisation, and reporting of this variety to the PPV&FRA, ultimately leading to its successful registration.
Khola, also known as Canacona Chilli, is a distinctive variety traditionally cultivated by the tribal communities of Khola (Cola) village in a traditional farming system, set in the hilly terrains and rocky plains of Canacona.
This chilli is renowned for its vibrant red colour and moderate pungency. Previously, this variety had also been granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, further acknowledging its uniqueness as an agricultural product from Goa.
