Chakhao farming stagnating: ACOAM-Lup
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 22 2021: The All Club Organization Association and Meira Paibi Lup (ACOAM-Lup) has expressed disappointment over the apparent stagnant growth among the Chak Hao farmers in the State even as Manipur has got the Geographical Indication tag for 'Chakhao' .

ACOAM-Lup in a statement said that the success story of 'Chakhao or black rice' cultivation in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli which began in 2017 has been widely published on National media channels.

The rice which was taken from Manipur in 2017 and cultivated over 1,500 hectare in 2018 is reported now to be cultivated over 6,500 hectares, the release said.

Due to its high demand among the foreign countries, the cultivation is being promoted and listed among the schemes for 'One District One Product' by the UP Government, it said.

But despite being funded and promoted under Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) since the 2016-17 period, there has been no significant endorsement of Chakhao cultivation among the State farmers, it said.

An area of 1000 hectares was also reportedly added under MOVCDNER funding last year, ACOAM-Lup said.

What is more saddening is that the State Government has not taken much interest in this sector, said ACOAM-Lup which also claimed that funded or private entrepreneurs involved in cultivating the black rice are not fully aware of GI tag and its use.

Moreover, these farmers do not know how to properly identify the actual rice species for which Manipur has been awarded the GI tag nor the 'Chakhao Monitoring Committee (CMC)' formed on May 12 after the State got GI with the Director of Agriculture as Chairman has been able to take up necessary steps to maintain its jurisdiction, ACOAM-Lup said.

As there is clear misconception on the use of GI tag and flows in promotion and marketing strategy among various agencies concerned, ACOAM-Lup urged all in the Chakhao farming community to stand together and do all the needful to protect the identity of 'Chakhao' .

The CMC and Consortium of Chakhao Growers should do all the needful to raise awareness about the use of GI Tag to all the Government funded and private entrepreneurs to retain uniqueness of 'Chakhao', it said while adding that sale of rice and other value added product without GI tag will be banned in the State.

ACOAM-Lup also stated that it will file a PIL to ascertain why there is no progress among farmers even though they have been funded for more than 4 years.

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