Naga king chilli (Bhut Jolokia), GI-tagged
Grown across Nagaland's hill villages, Bhut Jolokia (Naga King Chilli) held the Guinness World Record for world's hottest chilli in 2007 and carries India's GI tag for authenticity.
| Origin | Nagaland, India |
| Indian subcontinent | Yes |
| Category | Rare Spices, Botanicals & Teas |
| Retail price band | Retail roughly ₹220–₹450 for 50g of dried whole pods at GI-verified sellers (GiTAGGED, Nik Enterprise, IndiaMART Nagaland exporters) |
| Bulk / trade price band | Pricing under research |
| Sourcing status | Dossier researched from public sources — producer contact not yet established |
| Compliance status | Preliminary review complete (see below) — not yet legally verified |
Detailed study
Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum chinense, also called Naga King Chilli or 'ghost pepper') was measured at over 1,000,000 Scoville Heat Units by Guinness World Records in 2007, at the time the world's hottest chilli (since surpassed by cultivars like the Carolina Reaper). It is grown as a hybrid-type Capsicum chinense landrace across Nagaland, Assam and Manipur, distinguished by its wrinkled, elongated pod and intense capsaicin concentration used in food, self-defense sprays and even experimental grenades by the Indian Army/DRDO. Quality/authenticity markers for buyers include GI-certification marks and pod morphology consistent with the registered Naga/Bhut Jolokia type, since less-hot lookalike Capsicum chinense varieties are sometimes substituted.
Provenance & producer
Bhut Jolokia is traditionally grown by smallholder farmers across Nagaland's hill districts (and neighboring Assam and Manipur, where related landraces are also cultivated), largely without heavy chemical inputs given the crop's cultural and culinary importance in Naga cuisine. It received Geographical Indication registration recognizing Naga/Assam-grown Bhut Jolokia, administered through the GI Registry with backing from state agriculture and horticulture departments; in 2020 Nagaland's 'Raja Mircha' (king chilli) was exported to London for the first time, marketed as a GI-branded export success story per a PIB press release.
Market & pricing
GI-branded retail packs (e.g. GiTAGGED's 50g whole-pod pack) sell around ₹220–223 inclusive of GST; broader IndiaMART listings show wide price variance (₹150–450+/kg range across whole vs. powder formats) reflecting differences in processing and buyer volume.
Compliance & export
Naga King Chilli/Bhut Jolokia is a registered GI in India (GI Registry, Chennai), and the 2020 first export shipment to London (via PIB press release) demonstrates an active though still-nascent export pathway coordinated with APEDA. As a dried spice/food product, domestic sale requires FSSAI compliance and export requires standard phytosanitary certification; there is no CITES or special wildlife-trade issue since it is a cultivated agricultural crop, though buyers should confirm GI/authenticity documentation given the premium the Bhut Jolokia name commands over generic hot chillies.
Sources
- GiTAGGED — Bhut Jolokia Naga Chilli product page
- PIB — King Chilli 'Raja Mircha' from Nagaland exported to London for the first time
- Ghost pepper — Wikipedia
Image status
A working reference photograph is in place, captured from a freely-licensed Wikimedia Commons source (File:Bhoot Jolokia ( Ghost Chili pepper ).jpg). Correctly identified as Bhut Jolokia/ghost pepper; a dedicated Commons category (Category:Capsicum chinense 'Bhut Jolokia') exists confirming multiple verified images of this cultivar. Standard Commons licensing applies — verify exact CC terms on the file page. Treat this as a placeholder for marketing purposes: exact licence terms should be re-verified on the Commons file page, and original producer photography is recommended before final trade use.