New Delhi, Oct. 23: ITC Limited, is getting ready to set the exports market on fire with its brand of red hot chilli peppers — now that the US has discovered how hot the Northeast really is.

The hottest Naga chilli in the world will be the first agro product from the Northeast to be sold in the US under the brand name of Ashirwaad by ITC Limited.

A tripartite agreement was signed between the Nagaland government, the Spices Board and ITC Limited here today in the presence of Union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh.

Company chairman Y.C. Deveshwar was present along with senior government officials from Nagaland. Another signatory was L.H. Thangi Mannen, commissioner and secretary (horticulture), of Nagaland.

The product will be marketed as “Naga chilli” and not merely as a variety of chillies, ITC chief executive S. Janardhan Reddy announced.

Naga chilli, locally known raja mirch, was grown originally in Nagaland but its cultivation has now spread to several parts of Assam.

This is the first in a series of MoUs the commerce ministry has facilitated for the region. Today’s agreement will be followed by MoUs with other states, such as Meghalaya for organic turmeric and Sikkim for large cardamom.

“We are pleased to create incomes and livelihood in the region,” said Deveshwar.