Bid to save red rice from extinction: HP to bring 4,000 hectare land under cultivation in 5 yrs

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 13 : In a bid to give red rice, which is "on the verge of extinction" a new lease of life, the Himachal Pradesh government has fixed a target to bring around 4,000 hectares of land under its cultivation and produce around 40,000 quintals of the cereal grain annually in the next five years, state Agriculture Minister Virender Kanwar said on Sunday.
At present, the total area under cultivation of red rice -- for which the state government is also trying to get a Geographical Indication tag -- in Himachal Pradesh has been recorded at around 1,100 hectares. The total annual production is 9,926 quintals, with an average of 8-10 quintals/hectare production.
According to the state government, the area under the cultivation of red rice has registered a slight increase from past years due to the sustained efforts of the Agriculture Department.
"With growing health consciousness, and environmental concern, red rice -- probably the earliest of cereal grains that humans started domesticating -- which is on the verge of extinction, are making a comeback," said Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Kanwar.
An official release said that in the past few decades, farmers' inclination towards cash crops and high-yielding variety, along with the subsidised supply of fine cereals through the public distribution system, and change in consumer preferences, had led to a decrease in the area under the red rice cultivation. "Due to shifting of farmers to apples and vegetable crop, the area under rice drastically declined in past few decades but the farmers have now returned to the cultivation of this traditional crop," the minister was quoted in the release.
As per the state government, currently, the red rice -- one of the most ancient crops domesticated about 10,000 years ago -- is cultivated in water-surplus areas under Chirgaon, Rohru and Rampur blocks in Kullu Valley, the high hills of Shimla, Sirmour and Chamba districts, besides parts of Kangra in Himachal.
"Some of these popular varieties of red rice include Chhohartu from Rohru (Shimla district), Sukara from Tiyan (Chamba), Lal Zhini and Red Ramjawain (Kangra), and Jattoo and Matali (Kullu district)," the minister stated.
Himachal Pradesh's red rice, has got a new lease of life due to the sustained efforts of the state Agriculture Department," said
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Simla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 13 : Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Virender Kanwar on Sunday said that due to sustained efforts of the state government, the native verities of red rice, which were on the verge of extinction has got a 'new lease of life'.
"On verge of extinction, the hill state's Red Rice, one of the most ancient crops, which were domesticated about 10000 years ago has got a new lease of life in Himachal Pradesh due to sustained efforts of the state agriculture department," said an official release.
It said that in the past few decades, farmers' inclination towards cash crops and high-yielding variety along with the subsidised supply of fine cereals through the public distribution system (PDS) and change in consumer preferences had led to decreasing in the area under the red rice cultivations.
"But now with growing health consciousness, environmental concern, and the pressing need for updating our food systems to survive climate change, red rice probably the earliest of cereal grains that humans started domesticating are making a comeback giving hope to farm scientists and conservationists, who worked extensively in recent years to save the variety from extinction," said Kanwar.
As per the state government, currently, Red Rice is cultivated in areas having excessive water under block Chirgaon, Rohru and Rampur, in Kullu Valley, high hills of Shimla and Sirmour districts, Chamba, and parts of Kangra.
"Some of these popular varieties of red rice include Chhohartu from Rohru (Shimla district) Sukara, Tiyan (Chamba) Lal Zhini, Red Ramjawain from Kangra district and Jattoo and Matali from Kullu district. Due to shifting of farmers to apples and vegetable crop, the area under rice has been drastically declined in these areas in past few decades but the farmers have now returned to the cultivation of this traditional crop," the Minister stated further.
He added that the total area under red rice cultivation in the state has been recorded as around 1100 hectares at present registering a slight increase from past years, while total annual production of red rice has been registered at 9926.00 Quintals registering an average of 8-10 Quintals/Hectare production.
"A target has been fixed to bring around 4000 Hectares of land under red rice cultivations by next five years and produce around 40,000.00 Quintals red rice in Himachal Pradesh,' Kanwar added further.
Notably, the state government is also trying to get the red rice registered under the Geographical Indications (GI) of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.