Buying Indian Red Chilli: Guntur Heat vs Kashmiri

Written by the VKRUND ENTERPRISE Export Desk

Sourcing & export specialists · 12 June 2026 · 6 min read

How to choose between fiery Guntur chilli and deep-red Byadgi/Kashmiri, what SHU and ASTA colour actually mean, and why aflatoxin and Sudan-dye testing decides whether your lot clears EU customs.

Buyers often come to us asking simply for "Indian red chilli", and the first thing we do is slow them down. There are two very different products hiding under that name: one bought for raw heat, the other bought for colour. Get the wrong one and your sauce is either too mild or stains nothing, so let us walk through how we actually source it.

Heat or colour? Decide that first

Guntur in Andhra Pradesh runs Asia's largest chilli market, and it is where the hot material trades. Teja is the workhorse for heat — pungency typically lands somewhere around 35,000 to 80,000 SHU and sometimes higher, which is why oleoresin and hot-sauce buyers favour it. Sannam S4 sits lower and more medium. If instead you need that glossy red colour for a paprika-style blend or a natural colourant, you want Byadgi from Karnataka or Kashmiri types — low heat, but high ASTA colour and excellent oleoresin yield. The exact SHU and ASTA figures are agreed on contract and confirmed on the CoA for each lot, never assumed from the variety name alone.

Whole, stemless or powder

Form affects both price and risk. Whole pods with stems are cheapest; stemless (clipped) costs more but reduces foreign matter and is what most reprocessors prefer. Powder is convenient but harder to verify on heat and colour, and easier to adulterate, so for powder we insist on lot-level testing. Decide your specs before you ask for a quote.

SHU heat (Scoville) — by HPLC, with the target range stated
ASTA colour value (critical for Byadgi/Kashmiri)
Moisture, typically under 11%
Form: whole with stem, stemless, or powder + mesh
Steam-sterilised on request for microbiology

The compliance that actually stops shipments

A word of caution: chilli is a high aflatoxin-risk spice, and this is where lots fail. The EU also tests for illegal Sudan dyes (added to fake redness) and for pesticide MRL — and a single failure means rejection at the port. We test at audited, accredited partner labs and ship with a CoA covering aflatoxin, Sudan I–IV, MRL and microbiology. For markets that demand it, steam sterilisation is available on request without scorching the colour.

Tip: Always draw your approval sample from the exact lot you will ship, and keep a sealed counter-sample at both ends. With chilli, "same variety, different lot" can mean a very different aflatoxin and colour result.

Frequently asked questions

Can you pack chilli or chilli powder under our brand for retail?

Yes. Alongside bulk PP and vacuum packing, we offer single-window private-label for supermarket retail — pack and label designed with you, filled into pouches, jars or cartons, and delivered on DAP terms to your warehouse. Packing is at our audited partner facility under our oversight; import duties and taxes remain your account.

Do you supply for heat or for colour?

Both. Guntur Teja is the choice for heat with high SHU, while Byadgi and Kashmiri give deep colour with high ASTA. Tell us your end use and we will match the origin and grade.

Is it tested for Sudan dye and pesticides for the EU?

Yes. For EU shipments we test at an accredited partner lab for aflatoxin, Sudan dyes and the relevant MRLs, and ship with a CoA. The pass is against the agreed contract spec, confirmed per lot.

Can you steam sterilise the chilli?

Steam sterilisation is available on request, which suits buyers needing a microbiological reduction without irradiation. We confirm the treatment on the documents.

What forms do you offer?

Whole with stem, stemless, and powder. Powder is milled at the partner facility under our oversight and tested before despatch.