LUCKNOW: From the verge of extinction from its place of origin in east UP district to a blooming crop in Lucknow’s Raj Bhawan — Kalanamak rice, famous for its unique fragrance, texture and nutritional value, has come a long way.
“The scented black husk of Terai region of east UP was planted in half an acre of the governor’s official residence and is ready to ripe in December month,” said a state government official.
Although it has been cultivated since the times of Gautam Buddha and is also referred to as ‘Buddha rice’, the crop got a new lease of life after it was declared ODOP product of Siddharthanagar and got the GI (Geographical Indication) tag.
Just five years ago, it was on the verge of extinction with only 2,200 hectares of crop being sown in eastern UP district of Siddharthnagar — the land associated with Lord Buddha.
However, after the intervention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the crop gained popularity and is now being cultivated over 70,000 hectares in the kharif season.
In the state capital, it was sown in the vacant land at UP governor’s residence.
“No chemical has been used in the form of fertilizer or pesticide for the black husk sown in the governor’s residence. The entire yield is organic,” says a government official
The growing popularity of the variety can be gauged from the fact that the sale of its seed this season has been three times more as compared to previous kharif season.
Farmers have gradually started cultivating Kalanamak in larger areas, which in return has increased income for them.
According to agricultural scientist, RC Chaudhary, who has been working on the variety for a long time, “Kalanamak rice is unique in nutrition along with aroma and taste. It is an overall immunity booster. Considered as a source of protein, zinc and iron, beta-carotene is also found in this rice.”
“In every 100 gram of rice, there is 42 mg of beta carotene which is the basic element of Vitamin A. Not only this, it has been certified to have twice the protein, three times the iron, and four times the zinc compared to other varieties of rice,” he said.
Apart from Siddharthnagar, districts like Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Santkabirnagar, Balrampur, Bahraich, Basti, Kushinagar, Gonda, Barabanki and Deoria, which have similar climatic and soil conditions, are growing Kalanamak.
