E-Paper
Himachal’s women farmers feted for conserving rare red rice
The women, who hail from Himachal’s Rohru town, were awarded the Plant Genome Saviour Award for conserving the traditional red rice variety
Women farmers from Rohru, who were instrumental in cultivating and conserving red rice, locally known as chhohartu, were conferred the Plant Genome Saviour Award by Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi on Thursday.
The prestigious award includes a ₹10-lakh cash reward, citation and memento. Rohru Red Rice Farmers’ Society president Varsha Sharma and members Leela Vati, Dipna Mehta and Meena Kumari received the award. Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University (HPAU), Palampur, scientist in-charge of the rice and wheat research station Dr Ajai Srivastava, and Jubbal subject matter specialist Ram Krishan also accompanied them.
HPAU vice-chancellor professor HK Chaudhary congratulated the farmers and appreciated the scientists on the achievement.
HPAU had helped register the traditional red rice variety with the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Right Authority (PPVFRA) and had been instrumental in establishing a society of red rice growing farmers, he said.
The Plant Genome Saviour Award is India’s highest award for farmers in recognition of their contribution in conservation and development of plant varieties.
Chaudhary said red rice is cultivate on an area of around 1,000 hectares in different villages such as Peja, Masli, Jangla, Daboli, Kaloti of Chhohara valley in Rohru subdivision on the banks of Pabbar River at an altitude ranging from 1,300m to 2100m. It is categorized under Japonica red rice.
Red kernelled Chhohartu rice commands a higher price, is nutritionally superior, being rich in iron and zinc and numerous trace elements and vitamins and in addition has high antioxidant properties. The excess water of thick consistency decanted after cooking of red rice is believed to be beneficial for pregnant women, locals say.
