The Ramanathapuram Mundu chilli is a variety of dry red chilli mainly grown in Ramanathapuram district, of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.[2][3] It is primarily grown in the Ramanathapuram district's Tiruvadanai, Mudukulathur, Kadaladi, RS Mangalam and Kamuthi taluks.[4]
| Ramanathapuram Mundu chilli | |
|---|---|
 Ramanathapuram Mundu chilli | |
| Species | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | Tamil Nadu, India |
| Scoville scale | 17,500[1] SHU |
Name
editIt is named after its place of origin, the district of Ramnathapuram and has been cultivated in the district for over 200 years while the word Mundu in Tamil language translates to ‘fat and round’.[5][6][7]
Local name
editIt is also popularly known as Ramnad Mundu Chilli as during the British period till 1947 this district was known by the name "The Kingdom of Ramnad or Ramnad estate".[8][9][10][11]
Description
editRamnad mundu chillies are round and approximately the size of cherries and they tend to be milder and more flavorful.[12] They are used as in South Indian cuisine like sambar, chutneys and curries.[13] It is seeded directly and cultivated as a rain-fed crop. The chilli has a thick skin and is tolerant of salinity and drought.[14][15][16]
Geographical indication
editIt was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry under the Union Government of India on 22 February 2022 (valid until 15 November 2030).[17]
Ramnad Mundu Chilli Producer Company Limited from Mudhukulathur, proposed the GI registration of Ramnathapuram Mundu chilli. After filing the application in November 2020, the chilli was granted the GI tag in 2023 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Ramnathapuram Mundu chilli" exclusive to the chilies grown in the region. It thus became the first chilli variety from Tamil Nadu and the 45th type of goods from Tamil Nadu to earn the GI tag.[18]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Thanaraj, M. S. (29 March 2024). "Ramnad 'mundu' chilli to spice up the global market". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ Thanaraj, M. S. (26 February 2023). "Ramanathapuram Mundu chilli to be conferred GI tag". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ Rose, Beulah (2 March 2024). "'Ramanathapuram 'mundu chilli' farmers must tap warehouse facilities to get right price'". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ "Tamil Nadu's Ramnad Mundu Chillies, Vellore Spiny Brinjal Awarded GI Label | What It Means". News18. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ McCulloch, Mitch (3 October 2024). The Seed Hunter: Discover the World's Most Unusual Heirloom Plants. Dorling Kindersley Limited. ISBN 978-0-241-72254-1. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ Kisan World. Sakthi Sugars, Limited. 1983. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ Indian Arecanut, Spices & Cocoa Journal. Directorate of Cocoa, Arecanut & Spices Development. 1977. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ Scott, D. J. Walter (23 September 2017). "The Royal right to celebrate Dasara in Ramnad". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ "TN's Vellore spiny brinjal and Ramanathapuram mundu chilli to get GI tag". The Times of India. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (25 April 2023). "Modern facility for storing chillies and tamarind, a boon for Ramanathapuram farmers". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
{{cite news}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ "Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu | Land of Divinity | India". Ramanathapuram District Administration. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ Rombauer, Irma S.; Becker, Marion Rombauer; Becker, Ethan; Becker, John; Scott, Megan (12 November 2019). Joy of Cooking: Fully Revised and Updated. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5011-6971-7.
- ^ Sen, Colleen Taylor; Bhattacharyya, Sourish; Saberi, Helen (23 February 2023). The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-12864-4. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (30 June 2023). "Ramanathapuram farmers to get drought relief from State govt. soon, says Collector". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
{{cite news}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ Bureau, The Hindu (20 January 2023). "Declare Ramanathapuram as drought-hit, say farmers; seek ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 as compensation per hectare". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
{{cite news}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ "Tamil Nadu's Ramnad Mundu Chillies, Vellore Spiny Brinjal Awarded GI Label | What It Means". News18. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ "Geographical Indications Intellectual Property India". Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ Thanaraj, M. S. (29 March 2024). "Ramnad 'mundu' chilli to spice up the global market". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 October 2024.