Basmati does not have the same presence as other varieties of rice in the northeast, but now there are efforts to bring Basmati to the region.
Mrinal Banik, Agartala: Across the northeast, rice is the default carbohydrate of choice among nearly all communities and the region has some of the most famous rice varieties of India: from the famous Joha chawal of Assam to the black rice of Manipur, the region has a rice variety for nearly everyone.
But what about Basmati, perhaps India’s most famous export? Basmati does not have the same presence as other varieties of rice in the northeast, but now there are efforts to bring Basmati to the region.
Lalit Singha, a farmer in Tripura’s Golaghati village, can claim to be one of the most unique farmers in not just Tripura but all of the Northeast. He is among the few who are growing scented Basmati rice in Tripura. He hopes that at the end of the Boro season, which refers to crops sown in winter, he will make a decent profit. He remains optimistic despite the unfavourable weather season and has high hopes that he will fetch a much better price compared to other farmers in his area under the Sepahijala district.
Singha is one of the few farmers selected for growing scented Basmati rice in Tripura. Even as attempts were made earlier as well to grow Basmati in this soil, this is the first time the harvest is expected to fetch profit for the farmers.
The move is part of a trial run in the Sepahijhala district, an official familiar with the matter said. “For the trial, three villages: Pathalia, Golghati and Baidyadihgi were selected. One hectare of land belonging to beneficiary farmers had been used for growing this specific paddy,” he added.
When asked about the process of beneficiary selection, the official said, “The beneficiaries are selected after consultation with the local Panchayat. The Panchayat department sends a list of potential beneficiaries which is cross-checked by our department. If the beneficiary is found to be suitable for a crop, the department selects them.”
Scented Basmati rice grown in Tripura
Singha, who has been farming for the last 25 years, said the production would have increased manifold if they had better irrigation facilities. “The water crisis coupled with the heat wave dealt a heavy blow on the crops before the harvest season,” he lamented.
“I have grown this particular paddy for the first time. Earlier, I had grown Basmati, but that was of a different variety. But this time a new variety has been introduced. In the first attempt, the harvest was average. We got 12 to 13 mons (Each mon is equal to 40 kilograms) per kani (local unit of land measurement). We are waiting to harvest but we hope this time we shall get eight to ten mons per Kani,” he told EastMojo.
When asked whether a lower harvest would impact the profit margin, he said, “Both varieties are different. So yield is also different. The price of this variety is double the normal paddy we grow. So hopefully losses could be recovered if we get the proper prices.”
Singha is the only farmer in his village to grow this variety, but if things go well, it is likely to encourage many more farmers to switch over to scented Basmati rice cultivation which has a much higher demand.
Water crisis impending cultivation
The villages near Golaghati: Baidya Dighi, Nabinagar, and Pathalia are all considered the most fertile region in the district, but the farmers have been suffering from an acute water shortage, especially in the dry season.
“The old machines installed here are unable to provide adequate water for the fields full of crops. You can see a lot of fields are barren due to inadequate water supply. If the department takes initiatives to revamp the old infrastructure, then the situation may change,” Singha told EastMojo, adding that the unprecedented heat wave has damaged a substantial share of the crops.
Lalit is the only one to grow Basmati this year. Shibananda Singha, a farmer in the adjacent Baidyadighi Panchayat, is also ready to harvest scented Basmati rice. “The harvest is going to be satisfactory. If we get good prices, this experiment will be profitable,” he told EastMojo.
Speaking on the issue, Bishalgarh sector agriculture officer Prabir Datta said the second attempt to grow Basmati in the Bishalgarh area has finally shown positive signals.
“The first attempt was made in 2005 that turned out to be a disaster because of pest attacks. So, this year we have consulted with the agri-scientists to understand what variety of Basmati will really suit the agro-climatic conditions of Tripura. After consultation, we have selected three progressive farmers from Pathalia, Baidyadighi and Golaghati. They are called progressive farmers because they are well-versed with practical knowledge of different new technologies in the field of agriculture. After selection, they are provided with the seeds from the department. This variety is called Pusha Basmati 1509 that fits for the Boro season (winter season),” said Datta.
