Kalanamak Rice

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Kalanamak, a traditional variety of paddy with black husk and strong fragrance, which is considered a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Sravasti when he visited the region after enlightenment, is all set to get a new look and name.

Kalanamak Rice

• Also known as Buddha Rice, Kalanamak is a scented, one of the finest and short grain rice with an unusual black husk (kala = black; namak means salt).
• It is currently grown in 11 districts of the Terai region of northeastern Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal (specifically Kapilvastu).
• This rare rice has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2013 which recognised Siddharthnagar and the adjacent districts for the tag.
• Under the One District One Product (ODOP) Scheme, it has earned the Prime Minister’s award for Excellence in Public Administration 2021.
• It was featured in the book ‘Speciality Rices of the World’ by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
• The Government of Uttar Pradesh is promoting Kala Namak rice under One District One Product (ODOP) and has sanctioned a project of Rs. 12.00 crore for promotion of Kala Namak rice.
• The Government of India, through Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), has taken various initiatives to promote Kala Namak rice .

The dwarf varieties by IARI

• The Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has successfully developed two dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice. 
• They have been named Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652.
• The new name is in recognition of its association with the Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology in Ayodhya, for testing the two varieties.
• The problem with the traditional variety of Kalanamak paddy is that it’s tall and prone to lodging, which badly impacted grain filling and quality. 
• The yield, as a result, fell drastically, and the market for the rice dwindled, too.
• The objective was to bring dwarfness into the variety and make the plant sturdy to prevent lodging.
• They combine the quality of traditional Kalanamak with high-yielding varieties. Its grains are short. 
• The breeding programme by bringing the dwarfing genes from the rice variety Bindli Mutant 68, and also the gene of Pusa Basmati 1176 was used as a parent to cross with Kalanamak, and the progenies were further back-crossed with Kalanamak to restore its quality.

Benefits

• This rice is rich in micronutrients such as iron and zinc and can help prevent Alzheimer’s
• It also contains 11% protein which is almost double of common rice varieties.
• Besides, it has a low Glycaemic Index (49% to 52%) making it sugar free and suitable for even diabetic people.
• It also contains antioxidants such as anthocyanin which is useful in preventing heart disease and also helps in improving the health of the skin.
• It has also been found helpful in regulating blood pressure and blood-related problems.