The Sirarakhong Hathei Promotion Committee announced that the 13th Sirarakhong Hathei Chilli Festival will take place on August 29 and 30, 2024, in Sirarakhong village, Ukhrul district. The event celebrates the unique Hathei Chilli, known for its distinct flavor and recently renamed under its Geographical Indication (GI) tag to “Sirarakhong Hathei” to reflect its place of origin.

At a press meet held at Manipur Press Club, Imphal in Tuesday, the committee highlighted that even the Vice President of the United States acknowledged the chilli’s unique flavor profile through an agency. However, the festival’s momentum was previously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rectification of the chilli’s GI-tagged nomenclature took longer than anticipated.

The village produced nearly 30 tonnes of chillies in previous years, but this year’s output has declined to between 20-25 tonnes. “We are unable to export as per the demands outside Manipur, but our current production quantity is sufficient for the state,” the committee stated.