Kalabati rice makes a comeback in Odisha

Meet Dibyaraj Beria, an Odisha farmer who has produced 'Kalabati'-a variety of rice, which has an abundance of antioxidants capable of fighting lifestyle diseases. With the discovery of different varieties of paddy seeds of more productivity, the demand for kalabati rice had fallen and is now making a comeback in several eastern and north-eastern states.

Odisha:In a time when the agricultural sector is crumbling due to dwindling profits, farmer distress and climate change, an innovative farmer from Odisha have set the tone for adaptive agricultural practices with the production of 'Kalabati', a variety of paddy.

Dibyaraj Beria of Sambalpur is such a successful young farmer. He is now engaged in the organic cultivation of ‘Kalabati’ variety of paddy after successful completion of M.Phil in science.

His field is now overflowing with black paddy sheaves. However, he has toiled very hard for the successful cultivation of this variety of paddy which is harvested in 150 days. Since this paddy variety is being cultivated in an organic method, neither chemical fertilizer nor pesticide is used and the seeds have medicinal value.

The rice produced from ‘kalabati’ paddy fetches Rs. 300 per kg while its seed is being sold at Rs. 500 per kilogram. And the cultivation of this variety does not require much expenditure as it has tremendous disease resistant power. It also does not need much water.

With the discovery of different varieties of paddy seeds of more productivity, the demand for kalabati rice had fallen and is now making a comeback in several Eastern and North-eastern states.

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