Health and purity are the two basic food needs of the current urban as well as rural life in this pandemic era. India is the home of many indigenous, very much healthy and organically grown food crops. Whenever people search for a food with these qualities they always choose something indigenous in origin and organic in production. While looking at the rice, one of the staple foods of India, the famous black scented rice of Manipur has come out as a very good option for being nutritious and organic. This Indian Black rice cultivar of Manipur, locally known as Cha-Khao (Oryza sativa L.) has recently got the GI tag (GI Reg. No. 602) in 2020, due to its unique aroma and attractive colour. This is a very popular black rice variety cultivated in all the states of North East India and constitutes around 10% of Manipur’s total rice production. Now-a-days this variety is also grown organically by the farmers of Western Odisha. The origin of Cha-Khao in Manipur is believed to be linked with the first Manipur inhabitants, may be the Meiteis or the Buddhist monks in 400 BC. Cha-Khao Poireiton and Cha-Khao Amubi are the two main types of this rice cultivar.
The dark purple coloured outer bran layer and the unique aroma are the distinct characteristic features of Cha-Khao while being cultivated in the soil of Manipur over centuries. As the high-yielding variety of this black scented rice seeds got introduced, this could emerge as a gluten-free super food rich in fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. It owes an attractive colour due to a natural black colouring pigment called anthocyanin, which adds an excellent anti-oxidant quality and other health benefits to this rice variety. In addition to reduction of inflammation level in the body it also prevent and manage the problems like atherosclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, arthritis, allergies, aging signs and even cancer.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE (per 100 g)
| Total crude protein | 12.15% |
| Total carbohydrate | 72.43% |
| Amylose | 8.27% |
| Total fat | 4.8% |
| Ash | 1.57% |
| Curde fibre | 0.71% |
MINERALS
| Calcium | 24.06 mg |
| Magnesium | 58.46 mg |
| Manganese | 1.03 mg |
| Copper | 4.30 mg |
| Cobalt | 0.43 mg |
| Iron | 23.34 mg |
| Total anthocyanin (Cyanidin 3-glucoside) | 69.2-74.0 mg |
| Total phenolic (Gallic acid equivalent) | 500 and 577 mg |
USES AND PROCESSING OPPORTUNITIES:
Cha-khao is consumed mainly after being cooked as rice or kheer. In Manipur, it is served during communal feasts and ceremonies as Cha-Khao kheer. Some value added products that can be prepared are powder rice, suji (flour), syrup, chocolate, beer, wine, cake, bread, flattened rice, paratha, ladoo, other sweetened food and cosmetic items.
Being a potential source of anti-oxidative phytochemicals and useful ingredient for nutraceuticals, Cha-khao rice extracts can also be used in medicinal purposes. Some of the nutraceutical compounds present which can be extracted economically from this rice are tocotrienols, gamma amino butyric acid, oryzanol, rice bran saccharine, lutein, zeaxanthin, butylate hydro anisole, phytosterol, etc. This rice extract can also be used as natural colour to efficiently substitute the toxic synthetic ones.
PACKAGE AND PRACTICES (ORGANIC )
Climate and Soil:
A moderately cool climate is suitable for the cultivation of Manipuri Cha-Khao black rice. Other than the north-eastern regions of India, it has also been grown successfully in western districts of Odisha. So it is very much suitable for cultivation in plateau and hilly places with medium and upland fields and a varied soil type like loamy, laterite and red.
Seed sowing and transplanting:
For 1 acre of land the seed requirement for sowing is 10 kg in line transplanting method and 5 kg in SRI method of rice cultivation.
Seed availability: Seed is available between December to January*.
(*Due to high demand the seed availability duration is quite less. So, please confirm your order amount for the black rice seeds as early as possible)
The seed has a self-life of 6-8 months. So sowing can be done in January (Rabi crop) or can be stored for 4-5 months to sow during May-June (Kharif crop). For better yield, transplanting method is adopted which can be Line or SRI method. Here the seeds are sown in a nursery for raising seedling and then transplanted to the field at 18-21 days after sowing.
Cultivation in field:
Manipuri Cha-Khao is a medium duration paddy crop taking 120 days for maturation. So, two crops can be grown in a year. The crop grows to a height of 4-4.5 feet. Growing organically makes this crop more authentic and valuable in terms of its unique values, demand and delicacy. So use of Jibamrit, vermicompost and Biofertiliser as nutrients for the crop is advised in the place of any chemical fertiliser. Its panicle initiation and grain filling are same as the common paddy.
Harvesting and Yield:
The paddy is harvested after 120 days of transplanting. It gives an average yield of 12-15 quintal per acre.
Marketing:
For easy marketing of this highly demanded and valued rice, we provide support with prior agreement with individual farmer or NGOs or farm Producers Company or SHGs. But our support will be there only if the party should follow the procedure of organic package and practices developed by Abhinavakrishi Research Organisation, Sambalpur, Odisha.
REFERENCES
- https://www.mondaq.com/india/advertising-marketing-branding/950486/manipur-black-rice-cha-khao39-gets-gi-tag.
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/gi-tag-to-manipur-black-rice-gorakhpur-terracotta/article31475958.ece.
- https://momamanipur.com/chak-chao/.
Sonalisha Behera
M.Sc (Fruit Science)
Contact:
Mail Id- contact@abhinavakrishi.com
Contact No-8457887721
Website-www.abhinavakrishi.com
panicle emergence stage 
panicle emergence stage 
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panicle emergence stage 5 
Panicle towards maturity(Bolangir) 
Padampur,Bargarh 
Kenojhar 
Mayurbhanj 
Balasore 
Sambalpur 
Sambalpur 
Bolangir 
Patnagarh,Bolangir 
