Home ›› 02 Aug 2021 ›› Front
The cultivation of ‘Black Rice’, rich in nutrition and high in prices, once limited to the Chittagong Hill Tracts region, is gaining popularity among farmers in the plainland.
Rising demand from the affluent class encourages more farmers to cultivate the ‘Emperor’s Rice’, a nickname of the dark-coloured variety, once branded as forbidden rice.
In super shops, a kilogramme of Black Rice sells for Tk 150-220 while its production cost is much like other varieties, farmers said.
Boro rice, for example, costs Tk 50-55 per kilogramme.
The cultivation of Black Rice in the plains was the brainchild of one Manjur Hossain, a farmer from Cumilla. He started its cultivation in 2016-17 fiscal, and his success encouraged more farmers in the area to go for the relatively unknown variety.
In FY 2020-21, Manjur cultivated the variety on 50 acres of land that fetched him a 220-tonne yield. “Its cultivation is more profitable than other varieties, and it has a high demand,” he said.
Spurred by his initial success, he made a large pool of farmers and said they would cultivate Black Rice on 100 acres of land this year. “The production cost is similar to the Boro variety, but the yield is relatively higher,” he told The Business Post.
Arif Hossain, a farmer from Nangalkot, said he planted the variety on one acre and was impressed with the output. He said he plans to cultivate Black Rice on 30 acres with his family members and friends. He urged the government to provide policy and technical support for a high yield.
Farmers used to grow Black Rice once a year, but later they produced it twice per annum, thus making it handy.
People in hilly areas also grow Black Binni Rice, an aush variety, but it is a seasonal production in that vicinity.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DEA) data show that farmers in Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari cultivated Black Binni on 200 acres.
“The three hilly districts witnessed the cultivation of this variety that yields about 240 tonnes,” Paban Kumar Chakma, DEA additional director, Rangamati, told The Business Post.
“As there is a high post-harvesting loss during husking, farmers get some 80 tonnes of rice from 200 tonnes of paddy,” he said.
Black Rice demand growing
In association with the farmers, the government is working closely to make Black Rice popular and bring more land under this cultivation.
An interview with some consumers at the city super shops revealed a growing trend towards such rice consumption.
They viewed that this purple rice, another name for Black Rice, helps in fighting against non-communicable diseases like diabetics, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
“It is a good source of protein, fibre and iron besides being enriched in antioxidants,” said Md Khairul Islam, a consumer, while talking to The Business Post at Meena Bazar in the city’s Moghbazar.
“In the past, I used to buy the imported ones, but now I go for the local variety available at supper shops.”
Asked about it, Moynamoti Medical College Principal Triptish Chandra Ghose said, “A small amount of Black Rice can meet the necessary nutritional demand of an adult. Due to extra fibre, it checks cholesterol and sugar and is wholesome for the diabetics.”
According to the Meena Bazar outlet-in-charge Rupom Roy, they receive from suppliers the rice variety whose demand is gradually rising.
Besides its availability in super shops, producers and retailers are also selling it online.
“I produce about 5 tonnes of Black Rice per year, but the demand is way high. Most customers reach me through Facebook page,” said Arif.
The grower said that he receives 20 to 50 phone calls daily from consumers and is opting to cultivate more land to meet the rising demand.
Export potential
There is a scope to earn forex through export. In European and other western super shops, per kilogramme of Black Rice costs €10, equivalent to Tk 1,000.
“It has a huge demand in Europe and Australia. The price is higher than that in Bangladesh, and other countries,” Ispahani Agro Deputy General Manager Ashraf Uddin Ahmed said.
“We source it from farmers in hilly areas and market the product after our brand name Ispahani Agomoni Black Rice.”
Asked about export, Ashraf explained that a decade-long effort is underway to link up with global brands to make a go of it.
Black Rice spreading root
The commercial cultivation of this variety is still limited to only one district.
Considering the demand and nutrition value of Black Rice, the DAE is encouraging farmers to undertake significant initiatives for commercial production and spread it to other districts.
DAE Cumilla Deputy Director Mizanur Rahman told The Business Post that only the growers here have taken up Black Rice farming out of commercial interest. In contrast, in the hill tracts, it is cultivated as part of the tradition.
“The black variety cultivated in the hilly areas does not give a high yield. We are providing technical support to Manjur and also encouraging other farmers to follow suit,” said the official.
“If farmers get success, we’ll take up programmes to popularise it countrywide. BADC will step in to develop the variety.”
