The fall of the Mathania Mirch in a thirsty desert

Once a lifeline of Rajasthan’s arid landscape, the village of Mathania stood as a beacon of agricultural prosperity. Known for its fiery red chillies and its crucial role in water distribution across the state, Mathania was more than just a village—it was a symbol of sustenance and economic strength. But today, it tells a different story.

Much like Comala in Juan Rulfo’s Pedro Páramo, Mathania has now become a shadow of its former self since the 1980s. Where bustling farms once painted the land red with chilli fields, parched soil now stretches endlessly, cracked and lifeless. The wells that once nourished entire regions have dried up, leaving behind only the echoes of a past when Mathania dictated the pulse of Rajasthan’s agricultural trade.

Much like Rulfo’s protagonist Juan Preciado’s experience upon entering Comala, visitors to Mathania today are surrounded by silence, broken only by the distant whispers of those who remember its past. But unlike Comala’s ghosts, Mathania’s decline is not a supernatural mystery—it is rooted in exploiting its most precious resource, water. The taste that once defined it, now overpowered by an extra spiciness.

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Start of commercialisation

“The Mirch is best known for its role in Rajasthan's famous laal maas,” says Dhani Chand, a local of Mathania village. But its culinary influence doesn’t stop there. “It’s also a staple in chutneys and pickles, adding a depth of flavour that’s hard to match,” he adds. “What truly sets it apart is its mild pungency compared to other chillies, yet it is so rich and addictive that once you start, you won’t want to stop,” says Jodhpur resident Rajesh Dave.

Mathania’s agricultural landscape is undergoing significant shifts due to rapid commercialisation. When the authors of this report visited Mathania to check the cost of powdered chilli, we were taken aback: a single packet sells for a staggering ₹500-₹600. No wonder farmers once made significant profits from its cultivation.

Insaf, a tea shop owner in his fifties, explains that these days chillies from other states [like Andhra Pradesh] often flood the local markets, making it harder for authentic Mathania chillies to compete. “Nowadays, mathania chillies are so expensive that we can’t even afford to consume them,” he adds, seated at his small establishment in the village. 

The rising demand for Mathania chillies has put mounting pressure on local farmers, triggering a domino effect of environmental and agricultural challenges. Over-extraction of groundwater to meet production targets has led to severe water scarcity in the region. This, in turn, has stunted the growth of vegetation, reducing the availability of fodder and water for cattle. As livestock numbers declined, so did the production of manure, a crucial input for cultivation further deepening the crisis for farmers and disrupting the delicate balance of the local agro-ecosystem.

The area under red chilli cultivation in Rajasthan has dropped sharply, from a decadal average of 41.5 thousand hectares in 1987–97 to just 12.7 thousand hectares in 2007–17.

Michael Goldman, a sociologist from the University of Minnesota, highlighted this alarming rate of groundwater extraction in the region in his 1988 paper, The “Mirch-Masala” of Chili Peppers: The Production of Drought in the Jodhpur Region of Rajasthan. “Some farmers were extracting as much as 50,000 gallons (of water) per day, irrigating their fields 40 to 60 times over a nine-month growing season,” he writes. This depletion rate, where water extraction far exceeded natural regeneration, stood in stark contrast to the modest 4-10 irrigations per season required for most staple food crops, added Goldman. 

Further, to fulfil Jodhpur city's water demand, the state's Public Health Engineering Department in 2001 identified and developed a few potential groundwater sources, including Mathania. Locals say this action by the government authorities has led to severe water shortage for irrigation, crippling chilli production and drastically altering the village’s agricultural landscape. “There is no water for irrigation in the village,” says 49-year-old Mahinder, a resident of Mathania. “Farmers are increasingly shifting to cash crops like ajwain and jeera [cumin] to sustain their livelihoods, since growing chillies in the fields demands considerable irrigation.” 

Mathania chilli business is seasonal, with the harvesting cycle beginning in August, when farmers sow the seeds, and culminating at the end of February or March, when the chillies are harvested. Low temperature is one of the necessary conditions for Mathania chillies, which is why the harvest cycle is winter-dominated.

As per a research paper, Changes in cropping pattern in Rajasthan: 1957 to 2017, the area under red chilli cultivation in Rajasthan has dropped sharply, from a decadal average of 41.5 thousand hectares in 1987–97 to just 12.7 thousand hectares in 2007–17. In contrast, cumin cultivation has surged more than eightfold during the same period, rising from 37.8 to 328.8 thousand hectares. Similar increases are seen for other spices like fenugreek, coriander, and ajwain, reflecting a broader shift in cropping patterns as farmers adapt to water scarcity and changing economic realities.

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Long shadow cast by climate change

Shifting climate patterns are also increasingly affecting Mathania's agricultural landscape since the 1980s. From 1984 to 1988, the severe drought brought Rajasthan to its knees, leaving 7,942 villages, including Mathania, without a structured water supply, according to Goldman’s paper.

As per research by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, chilli can be grown successfully as a rain-fed crop in areas receiving an annual rainfall of 850–1200 mm.  However, Jodhpur, where Mathania is located receives only around 323 mm of rainfall annually. The region's annual rainfall, fluctuating between 5 and 20 inches, has proved insufficient for the sandy soils that retain little moisture. Groundwater, crucial to life in this desert expanse, is often saline or brackish and can lie buried up to 600 metres beneath the earth.

Between 1975 and 1986, chilli production in Jodhpur district surged from 5,700 tonnes to 14,600 tonnes, with the cultivated area expanding from 5,830 to 10,860 hectares. Yields also increased from 9.5 to 13.67 quintals per hectare, but this growth came at a cost. Much like sugarcane, chilli farming demanded frequent irrigation, exacerbating groundwater depletion.

Ajmal Dhaka, a farmer from Jodhpur, described the immense water demands of Mathania chilli cultivation. “Over four months, an acre of land needs to be irrigated 12-14 times,” Dhaka says.

Farmers constructed frames to hold water to meet this need, ensuring the plants received adequate water. This labour-intensive method underscores the water dependency of these vibrant red chillies. The ideal amount of rainfall needed for these chillies to grow is around 850-120 mm.

A report by the Central Ground Water Board in 2023 confirmed a continued decline in groundwater levels, noting a drop of 1.2 metres annually over the past decade. The Rajasthan State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) in 2022 further predicted heightened water stress due to erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells in the coming years.

The most affluent Mathania chilli producers claim to maintain a steady 50 per cent profit rate, despite the rising costs of agricultural inputs. However, ecological degradation has intensified these challenges. 

One significant factor is the depletion of organic manure, a vital input for chilli farming on the region’s sandy soils. “With the advent of chemical fertilisers, the quality and taste are changing,” says 37-year-old Manga Ram, one of the farmers.

The loss of ground vegetation, including grasses, shrubs, trees and common pastures, has led to the mass starvation of cattle, reducing the local livestock population by nearly half over the past four years.

With fewer cattle, farmers face a scarcity of organic manure, forcing them to rely on chemical fertilisers. However, improper use of these fertilisers has exacerbated soil degradation. Lacking the technical knowledge for balanced application, many farmers inadvertently harm their fields, further lowering yields and profitability.

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The decline

Agriculture has long defined Mathania's identity, especially its renowned chilli pepper. However, the shift from rain-fed crops like jowar, bajra, pulses, and oilseeds to intensive chilli cultivation placed immense pressure on the region’s water reserves. 

One major factor is Anthracnose, a plant disease that causes leaves to curl and twist into a condition often called “leaf curl”.

The decline of the Mathania Mirch is not just a story of water scarcity—it is a complex crisis with multiple factors at play. “The degradation of underground water quality has significantly reduced production,” says Dr. Rahul Bhardwaj, an assistant professor at the Agriculture University of Jodhpur. But water alone isn’t the culprit. He outlines challenges that have pushed this once-thriving chilli to the brink. One major factor is Anthracnose, a plant disease that causes leaves to curl and twist into a condition often called “leaf curl”. Bhardwaj explains that this disease has severely impacted chilli farming, weakening plants and reducing yields. But the problems don’t stop with diseases. 

The unorganised chilli market of Rajasthan has further dented production. “Because of the lack of a structured market, there is no consistent demand. Many farmers have abandoned chilli farming, and with competition from chillies like Guntur Mirchi from Andhra Pradesh, the situation has worsened,” says Bhardwaj. 

It leaves local farmers without protection or incentives. “Without structured intervention, cheaper chillies from other regions flood the market, falsely labelled Mathania Mirch, and erode its authenticity,” mentions one farmer.

However, the situation for this traditional crop may change through the bid for a geographical indication (GI) tag. As per a News18 report, an application by a farmer producer organisation (FPO) named Tinwari Farmer Producer Company, supported by the National Bank for Rural Development (NABARD), has been accepted by the GI Registry and is now in the objection phase. 

This step is crucial because rising demand has pressured farmers to overuse groundwater, causing water scarcity, loss of livestock, and lower manure availability—all hurting farming and the local environment. The GI tag could help restore balance and secure farmers' rights.

When we asked Bhardwaj about any solutions provided by the Jodhpur’s Agricultural University, he explained, "We have developed RCH1 hybrid seeds, which are slightly different from the original, with a little more pungency and shorter in height. These seeds are offered to interested farmers. However, there are still very few farmers who are willing to adopt these new hybrid seeds." In addition to these factors, when we inquired about cross-pollination, Bhardwaj mentioned, "Cross-pollination is less than 30 per cent, which is not significant in Mathania Mirch." 

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