Young agricultural entrepreneur Hasibul Hasan Ronty has succeeded in growing "black rice", rich in medicinal and nutritional qualities, in Faridpur. He grew the paddy on about two bigha and got a bumper yield. His field is in Ishan Gopalpur union of Faridpur Sadar upazila; his home is at Alipur in Faridpur town.

He collected the black rice seed from Vietnam and Indonesia. With full support from the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the two bigha are expected to yield about 55-60 maunds of paddy. DAE officials in Faridpur said they will collect and store it as seed to get black rice into farmers' hands.

Hasibul Hasan Ronty told Jago News that he first saw how to grow this paddy on YouTube and learned the details, then bought seed from Vietnam and Indonesia online. He bought 2kg of black rice seed and 2kg of golden black rice seed at about Tk 2,000 a kg. "Black rice grains are a little coarse and golden black rice grains are fine. It is 75 days since I planted, and I will be able to harvest in two weeks," he said.

"The Department of Agricultural Extension has monitored and helped me all along. They have said they will collect my paddy as seed. I have also had a big response from other farmers: several have already ordered paddy from me as seed at Tk 1,000 a kg. Besides paddy I have planted a Saudi date orchard and a malta orchard, and I have a cattle farm, where I have also seen success," he said.

According to the DAE in Faridpur, farmers are becoming increasingly interested in black rice, known as "kalo dhan", because it is nutritious and fetches a high price. Black rice was once grown for the good health of China's kings and emperors, but it was forbidden to their subjects.

Its medicinal qualities made Hasibul Hasan Ronty want to grow it. The paddy is new here and farmers are being encouraged to grow it. Ronty's crop will be taken as seed and supplied to farmers in this and neighbouring regions, so they can get it cheaply. Eating rice from this paddy reduces many diseases, according to the DAE.

Md Ziaul Haque, deputy director of the district DAE, told Jago News: "Black paddy fetches a much higher price and is in much greater demand than ordinary paddy. Black rice is rich in antioxidants, which raise the body's immunity. Its fibre keeps the heart healthy. The rice also guards against diabetes, nerve disease and ageing."

"The golden black rice plants are very beautiful and as green as other paddy plants; only the grains are black, and these black grains will give black rice. The black rice plants are black too, the panicles are black, and so is the rice," he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.