POKKALI RICE

Dec. 23, 2018

Scientists are planning to revive the Pokkali rice variety, which survived the rising waters during the devastating floods in August which submerged large tracts of farmland across Kerala.

About:

Cultivation area: Pokkali is a rice variety cultivated in the water-logged coastal regions, in Alappuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala.
Properties:
- It has unique saline tolerant property. Its resistance to salinity is remarkable.
- In order to survive in the water-logged field, the rice plants grow up to 2 m.
- Pokkali is famed for its peculiar taste, extra-large grains size and its high protein content.
Cultivation season: The rice is cultivated from June to early November when the salinity level of the water in the fields is low. From mid-November to mid-April, when the salinity is high, prawn farming takes over.
Cultivation method: It is organically-grown. The rice crop doesn’t require other fertilizer or manure as the tidal flows make the fields highly fertile and it draw nutrients from the prawns’ excrement and other remnants.
Recognition: The brand Pokkali has received a GI tag from the Geographical Indications Registry Office, Chennai.