JEYPORE: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will provide financial assistance to a local NGO to seek Geographical Indication (GI) tag for 'Kalajeera' rice. Last year, Jaivik Sree Farmers' Producer Company, a local NGO engaged in agriculture activities in the district since 2016, had requested NABARD to provide assistance for applying GI tag for the rice.
A senior NABARD officer of Koraput said, "We will provide financial assistance to the NGO to get GI tag for ‘Kalajeera’ rice for its promotion and large-scale cultivation by tribal farmers." The rice, known for its medicinal properties and distinct aroma, is widely grown by tribals across Koraput district.
However now, only a few farmers are interested in cultivating the crop due to low productivity and high input costs. Sources said thatcultivation of 'Kalajeera' rice has now been reduced to around 2,000 acre in the district. Meanwhile, the NGO has also taken the initiative to sell ‘Kalajeera’ rice on leading e-commerce platform Amazon.