Assam Agricultural University Promotes Export of Traditional Rice Varieties

Boosting Traditional Rice Exports

Jorhat, August 1: Assam Agricultural University (AAU) has launched a new initiative aimed at enhancing the export of the state's traditional rice varieties by providing farmers with pure planting materials.

According to Dr. Sanjay Kumar Chetia, the Director of Research (Agriculture) at AAU, traditional rice varieties such as Joha and Bao, including Kola and Kunkoni Joha, as well as Tora and Kokua Bao, have gained recognition in international markets. However, the export volumes have not seen significant growth.

Dr. Chetia noted that numerous consignments sent to Asian countries, particularly in the Middle East, and to Europe were rejected. Investigations revealed that the quality issues stemmed from the use of impure seeds by farmers.

To address this challenge and tap into the global market, AAU, under the guidance of Vice Chancellor Dr. Bidyut Chandan Deka, has initiated a program to produce and distribute pure seeds to farmers, ensuring the quality of rice varieties is upheld.

He explained that a batch of seeds can be cultivated two to three times before new seeds need to be planted. A pilot project focusing on Bao rice has been launched in Nagaon district in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme, the State Government, and a Self-Help Group (SHG).

Additionally, Dr. Chetia mentioned that AAU, in partnership with the State Government, has established the first gene bank in the northeastern region, which conserves 7,000 germplasms of rice, including 3,000 indigenous varieties.

This gene bank will also work on conserving germplasms of other indigenous crops to preserve biodiversity for future generations.

Reflecting on the high-yielding crop varieties developed by AAU since its inception in 1969, Dr. Chetia stated that 40 improved crop varieties have been released, including 24 rice varieties, along with rapeseed, sesame, green gram, black gram, millet, field pea, chili, and brinjal developed in the last five years.

Among these is 'Labanya,' a new purple rice variety recognized for its nutritional benefits due to its high antioxidant content.