Manipur black rice ‘Chakhao’ to go global

Our Correspondent

Imphal, Oct. 20 (EMN): The Manipur’s organic aromatic black rice known as ‘Chakhao’ or ‘Chahao’ in local dialect is likely to be made available soon in markets across the globe.

A formal export launching session of the product under the brand name Chahao was held in Imphal in this regard this afternoon.

High Vision Consultants, a Haryana based company is playing a key role in global promotion and marketing of the organic product under their initiative ‘Healthy food and healthy life’.

Speakers of the event expressed their desire to promote healthy food for better health.

Khaidem said that the primary objective of the consortium is to bridge the gap between the producers and buyers in the region.

“We’re lucky that we have got a good food buyers company after the farmers in our state face a series of problems for not getting the buyers for their organic products in the last two years,” he said.

Speaking to reporters on the sideline of the launching function, founder and Chief Executive Officer of the High Vision Consultants Sanjay Kumar Swami said that he detected the quality of Chahao during his recent visit to Manipur recently.

“We’re trying our best to promote and introduce such an important rice variety considering it’s nutrient values and antioxidant properties to the world as few people know about the special character of this scented rice variety in the world ,” said Sanjay Kumar.

Informing that his company will be studying every aspects of the rice variety with farmers for the upcoming initiatives, he assured that the company will try to procure Chahao from Manipur as many as possible.

“The company is targeting to procure around 1000 metric tonnes during 2018-19,” he informed.

On being asked as to why the company is not targeting in other NE states where there are reports of producing Chahao, he said that the quality of available in Manipur is not comparable to other in terms of its nutrient values.

The state under the Horticulture department had cultivated Chahao across 2000 hectares in four valley districts under the scheme of ‘Organic Mission Organic Value Chain Development.’

According to Subhas Naoroibam, a farmer from Sekta village in Imphal east district, Chahao cultivation helps in increasing their annual income comparing to normal rice cultivation practices as it has more market value and lesser labour in plant management.