Dry Red Chilli variety · Traditional cultivar
Dalle Khursani
Also known as Dalle Khursani, Dalle Chilli, Sikkim Chilli
Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong districts; also grown in Nepal and Bhutan · Farmer-maintained landrace; no formal breeding institute · GI granted September 2020; extended 2021 to Darjeeling and Kalimpong
Small, round to oval fruits (1–2 cm diameter), ripening deep scarlet red, resembling cherries. Intense pungency (100,000–350,000 SHU, comparable to habanero). Remarkably high vitamin C (240 mg/100g, five times orange), Vitamin A 11,000 IU, Vitamin E 0.7 mg. Perennial habit (~2–3 years productive). Used in pickles, chutneys, sauces, often hailed in global spice culture.
Key facts
| Type | Traditional cultivar |
|---|---|
| Origin | Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong districts; also grown in Nepal and Bhutan |
| Breeder / source | Farmer-maintained landrace; no formal breeding institute |
| Year released | GI granted September 2020; extended 2021 to Darjeeling and Kalimpong |
| Parentage | Local Capsicum annuum adaptation to temperate Himalayan foothills; winter-hardy perennial type; possibly polyploid |
| Yield | Sikkim production around 250 tonnes (2019); approximately 60% consumed within state |
| Tolerance | Winter-hardy; tolerant to cool temperate climate (frost-tolerant); perennial in temperate zones |
| Distinctive features | Small round fruit; intense, fruity heat; exceptionally high vitamin C and micronutrients; perennial fruiting; culturally and nutritionally significant; only known polyploidal chilli variety |
| Grown in | Sikkim, Darjeeling (West Bengal), Kalimpong; also Nepal and Bhutan; GI certified India 2020–2021 |
| Also known as | Dalle Khursani, Dalle Chilli, Sikkim Chilli |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Dalle Khursani in detail
A cherry-sized red chilli landrace from the Eastern Himalayas, Dalle Khursani burns with habanero-level heat and is described as the only known polyploidal pepper variety.
Origin & story
Indigenous to Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong, and grown for generations by farming families across Nepal, Bhutan, and the Indian Eastern Himalayas. The name comes from Nepali, where dalle refers to its round shape and khursani means chilli. It is a farmer-maintained landrace with no formal breeding institute behind it. India's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade granted it Geographical Indication status in September 2020 for Sikkim, extended to Darjeeling and Kalimpong in September 2021, recognising its protected origin and cultural heritage.
How it grows
Sown in nurseries in March-April and transplanted at about 30 to 35 days with roughly one metre spacing each way. Fruits mature around 90 to 120 days after transplanting, with farmers taking five to eight harvests as the fruits redden. It prefers a warm, humid climate, around 20 to 25C, on sandy loam soil with a near-neutral pH of about 6 to 7. It is commonly grown organically with farmyard manure, vermicompost, and neem cake, and black plastic mulch is used to suppress weeds and conserve moisture. It is a perennial shrub, reaching about 100 to 130 cm in open fields and up to roughly 150 to 180 cm under greenhouse conditions, productive for around two to three years. Sikkim produced about 250 tonnes in 2019. Fruit fly is the primary pest.
Quality & character
Small, round to oval fruits of 1 to 2 cm diameter, ripening deep scarlet red and cherry-like in appearance. Heat falls in the range of 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units, rivalling habanero, with fruity notes beneath the intense heat. It is notably rich in vitamin C at about 240 mg per 100g, around five times that of an orange, with vitamin A around 11,000 IU and vitamin E around 0.7 mg. It is described as the only known polyploidal Capsicum variety.
Why it matters to buyers
Around 60 percent of Sikkim's production is consumed within the state, with supply reaching North Bengal and the Northeast both fresh and dried. It is favoured for momos, pickles, chutneys, sauces, and condiments, and is dried and ground for use in oils and vinegars. GI status has supported value-added processing and broader market interest.
About dry red chilli
India grows chillies across a spectrum of heat levels, colours, and purposes—from the mild, deep-red Byadgi prized for oleoresin and paprika, to the searingly hot Bhut Jolokia of Assam's Northeast. Between these extremes sit dozens of released varieties from ICAR institutes (IIHR Bengaluru, IARI Delhi) and state universities, plus landraces and regional…
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