PALAKKAD: Each grain of this particular variety of rice is packed with health benefits, including vitamin E and properties to fight cancer and diabetes, say experts. While the world is slowly realising the benefits of Navara rice, it is still confined to certain pockets in the state where individual farmers cultivate it for medicinal purposes. Much more needs to be done to cultivate it on a commercial basis.
Navara farmers say it was high time the government intervened to promote this unique variety. At the moment, government supervision is limited to research. “Research is underway on five Navara varieties at the Rice Research Station in Mankombu,” S Leena Kumari, registrar of Kerala Agricultural University, Mannuthy, and former head of the station, told Express. “The aim is to genetically improve the capacity of the seeds without compromising its medicinal content,” she said.
Cultivators like Narayanan Unni of Chittur in Palakkad feel Navara cultivation should be widely encouraged. “Navara has anti-cancerous and anti-diabetic properties. Knowing the medicinal value of karkidaka kanji (a medicinal gruel made of Navara and a host of other ingredients), many countries like China are now doing research to market it as a health drink,” said the farmer growing organic Navara in 12 acres for the past 14 years.
“We have done pure line selection and identification of some of the varieties. However, it cannot be commercially grown unless there is a tie-up with ayurvedic pharma companies acknowledging its nutraceutical value,” said Leena.She said like all other varieties of rice, Navara cultivation too faces roadblocks. “Although the government declared 2016-17 as the year of paddy, we faced a lot of hardships,” said Unni.
Navara can only be cultivated if government outfits like Oushadi agree to purchase it for the ‘navara kizhi’ (cloth pouch containing medicated Navara porridge) for ayurvedic treatment. Moreover, the Tourism Department can also promote Navara-based food products. Only then will it attract more cultivators, said Unni.