Rohru farmers to get Rs10 lakh award for red rice cultivation

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, November 8

Farmers of the Rohru subdivision in Shimla district will receive the prestigious Plant Genome Saviour Award carrying a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh for their contribution in developing red rice, a rare variety of paddy grown in Himachal Pradesh, said Prof HK Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University here today.

The VC said university scientists had gathered all data and helped the farmers growing red rice register the traditional variety ‘Chhohartu’ with the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA) eight years ago. The researchers, in the past one year, helped the farmers pursue the matter again with renewed efforts to conserve, develop, popularise and further spread the rice variety, bringing laurels to the state. The university had even helped the farmers form a society as the award is given to societies only.

Chaudhary said the award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a citation and a memento, would be presented to the farmers’ society on November 11 by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. It is the country’s highest award for farmers, in recognition of their contribution to conserving and developing plant varieties.

Prof Chaudhary said red rice is under cultivation in about 1,000 hectares in various villages of Rohru subdivision. It is cultivated on both sides of the Pabbar river, adapted to cultivation from 1,300 m to 2,100 m, and is categorised under Japonica red rice. ‘Chhohartu’ has red pericarp (outer layer) and it fetches a premium price in the market, setting an example of ‘vocal for local’ The VC also appreciated the efforts of university scientists, Dr Ajai Srivastava and his team, including retired breeder Dr RP Kaushik, for their consistent efforts to help farmers with relevant scientific data and other formalities for the award.

A couple of years ago, the university scientists had helped farmers of Bhedal panchayat in Chamba district get the Plant Genome Saviour Community Award-2019 for conserving land races of maize ‘Haachi’ (white), ‘Retti’ (red) and ‘chitkuri’ (popcorn).

Being cultivated in 1,000 hectares

• Red rice is under cultivation in about 1,000 hectares in villages of Rohru subdivision.
• The excess water having thick consistency, decanted after cooking the red rice, is considered healthy for expecting mothers.