ACOAM Lup bats for Chakhao taste
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 04 2018:
With the aim of preserving the indigenous Chakhao Amubi/ Chakhao Poireiton, the All Clubs Organisations and Meira Paibis Lup, Kangleipak (ACOAM-Lup, Kangleipak) submitted a memorandum to the Agriculture Minister through the Director of Agriculture.
Speaking to media persons at ACOAM-Lup office at Lamphel today, its secretary (organisation) N Shanta said that the memorandum explained that Manipur has been a hub to varieties of high value nutritional crops which have been grown since time immemorial and which is the main reason for agriculture being one of the most important occupations of the people of the State.
Explaining that Manipur is one of the most fertile sub-tropical rainfed farming zones of Asia and the history of rice cultivation in the State is as old as 6000 years, he added that the memo explained that rice is the staple food of the people of both the hills and the plain of the State.
Informing that shifting cultivation in the hills and transplantation of nurseries in the low land valley areas are the traditional methods of production of rice in Manipur since time immemorial, the memo stated that out of the numerous Varieties of rice cultivated in the State, Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton have gained popularity due to their nutritional value and anthocyanin content which is a valued cancer fighting agent.
He further informed that the Ministry of Agriculture has provided huge investment under Mission Organic and Value Chain Development (MOVCD) for production and preservation of the two Chakhao varieties and Under MO VCD, more than 2000 hectares of land are cultivated using organic methodology to maintain the natural aroma, flavour and nutritional value of Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton.
The memo explained that the use of pure certified seeds while growing Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton under MOVCD has become a major hurdle in marketing the two Chakhao varieties because of the mixed production on maturity of crop.
Shanta continued that the memo made it clear that the production of pure Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton seeds on natural soil has become the most important factor due to the influx of different varieties of black rice from the National as well as the International markets.
Urging the Agriculture Department to take up concrete measures using all possible resources to produce genetically pure Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton using natural soil, ACOAM Lup laid down proposal for the production of the said rice at the Rice Research Centre, Wangbal of the State Agriculture Department, Shanta added.
The secretary (org) further conveyed that as per ACOAM-Lup, Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton which are cultivated only in Manipur, must be registered at the Geographical Indication Registry for better categorization in the National and International markets.
It further cautioned that the registration of the said two rice varieties is of utmost importance as a number of farmers outside Manipur have started cultivating black rice which may or may not be Chakhao Amubi or Chakhao Poireiton.
Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton must not be exported until and unless genetically pure seeds have been produced and made available to the farmers of the State and its Geographical Index is registered for protection of property rights, the memo demanded, Shanta said.
Comment
