Capsicum species were introduced by the Portuguese into Southern India and by the end of the nineteenth century cultivation had spread throughout British India.

These semi-wild crop, the extent of which in any year was dependent upon the market price. Since the end of the Second World War, cycles of growth and decline in production have been experienced in each of these coun- tries, though at somewhat different rates.

In spite of the importance of chillies and capsicums to India in terms ‘Of domestic consumption, and to a lesser extent as an export commodity, little systematic research was carried out on the crop until 1955 and little emphasis was placed on selecting particular types to meet the requirements of specific export markets. With the decline of exports to Sri Lanka, further exemplified in the following. section on trade, it has been appreciated that traditional exports should be modified. Research has been undertaken by a number of establishments over recent years to improve production of both chillies and capsicums.

The `Tuticorin’ capsicum, grown extensively in the Tinnevelly district of Southern India, is now regarded as the standard by which other capsicums are judged. Attention is also being devoted to extending the cultivation of the native very pungent types of chillies with the aim of direct export or for the local production of chilli oleoresin.

In 1930, Madras Presidency was still the major producing area but its surplus production available for export was lower than that of Bengal. Production levels in India, as monitored by export figures, would appear to have stabilized at this time, following a period of expansion.

In spite of the loss of some important growing areas upon the partition of British India in 1947, India remained the world’s largest producer of capsicums and chillies. By 1949-50, the total area under the crop was 448 700 ha. By 1954-64, this area had risen to an annual average of 610 000 ha, yielding on average 362 500 tonnes per annum. It is of interest that during this period exports never exceeded 3 per cent of total production, which is the domestic nature of the crop. In 1967-8, the total area under the crop had risen to about 665 600 ha, yielding 403 000 tonnes, and a further rise brought the average area over the period 1970-1 to 1974-5 to about 733 400 ha and the average output to 474 600 tonnes.