Dhemaji district in Assam is getting ready to export organic paddy (bao dhan) to European countries.
The development took place after the agriculture department traced the high protein and iron content in four traditional bao paddy varieties in the flood-prone district, during a recent study.
Dhemaji deputy commissioner M.S. Manivannan said samples of four bao paddy varieties have already been sent to the desired European farm through a New Delhi-based institution.
The local administration is waiting to get a green signal from the authorities concerned for sending as much as 40 metric tonnes organic paddy in the first phase.
A team of European experts will visit the district within the next month for a detailed study of the concept of bao paddy cultivation and the visit will follow a direct link between the Dhemaji farmers and the European paddy exporters.
“The districts annual bao paddy production is almost 15,000 tonnes. As this is the end of the season, we have just 40 tonnes of stock with us to be exported in the first phase,” Manivannan said.
According to him, Rs 1,700 per quintal organic rice is proposed by the local administration and the district could go up to 15,000 tonnes of similar organic rice per year, if needed.
Bao is a concept of autumn paddy in the low-lying zones where farmers cannot go for transplantation because of high water level during the monsoon.
Unlike the common autumn paddy practice, farmers till a low-lying plot in early spring and sow the seed before the monsoon starts.
The farmers prefer a long duration paddy variety, which take 170 to 185 days from seed to seed.
The traditional practice has less productivity, but it is totally organic, as farmers do not have chance to use fertilisers, minerals or pesticide.
Dhemaji district agriculture officer M. Phukan said four popular bao varieties — Negheri, Kokuwa, Amena and Tuti — were selected for exportation and sample of all the four has been sent to the European farm.
Dhemaji has 67,000-hectare net crop area of which bao paddy is practised in almost 3,000-hectare area, which is comparatively low-lying.
According to the records of the Assam Agriculture University, average productivity of bao paddy is 2.5 tonnes per hectare.
“Dhemaji’s soil condition, topographical behaviour and weather favours some bao varieties and farmers could increase the productivity by bringing some minor changes in cultivation style,” the university source said.
The development took place after the agriculture department traced the high protein and iron content in four traditional bao paddy varieties in the flood-prone district, during a recent study.
Dhemaji deputy commissioner M.S. Manivannan said samples of four bao paddy varieties have already been sent to the desired European farm through a New Delhi-based institution.
The local administration is waiting to get a green signal from the authorities concerned for sending as much as 40 metric tonnes organic paddy in the first phase.
A team of European experts will visit the district within the next month for a detailed study of the concept of bao paddy cultivation and the visit will follow a direct link between the Dhemaji farmers and the European paddy exporters.
“The districts annual bao paddy production is almost 15,000 tonnes. As this is the end of the season, we have just 40 tonnes of stock with us to be exported in the first phase,” Manivannan said.
According to him, Rs 1,700 per quintal organic rice is proposed by the local administration and the district could go up to 15,000 tonnes of similar organic rice per year, if needed.
Bao is a concept of autumn paddy in the low-lying zones where farmers cannot go for transplantation because of high water level during the monsoon.
Unlike the common autumn paddy practice, farmers till a low-lying plot in early spring and sow the seed before the monsoon starts.
The farmers prefer a long duration paddy variety, which take 170 to 185 days from seed to seed.
The traditional practice has less productivity, but it is totally organic, as farmers do not have chance to use fertilisers, minerals or pesticide.
Dhemaji district agriculture officer M. Phukan said four popular bao varieties — Negheri, Kokuwa, Amena and Tuti — were selected for exportation and sample of all the four has been sent to the European farm.
Dhemaji has 67,000-hectare net crop area of which bao paddy is practised in almost 3,000-hectare area, which is comparatively low-lying.
According to the records of the Assam Agriculture University, average productivity of bao paddy is 2.5 tonnes per hectare.
“Dhemaji’s soil condition, topographical behaviour and weather favours some bao varieties and farmers could increase the productivity by bringing some minor changes in cultivation style,” the university source said.
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