Breakthrough in improving farmers’ income sustainably by producing Kalanamak rice

Kalanamak is heritage rice of eastern Uttar Pradesh and valued for its aroma, taste and nutritive quality. Its cultivation declined from 50,000 ha to less than 2,000 ha due to varietal deterioration and competition from HYV. Four improved varieties, KN3, Bauna Kalanamak 101, Bauna Kalanamak 102 and Kalanamak Kiran were released in 2010, 2016, 2017and 2018 respectively. Last three varieties yield 50% more than traditional Kalanamak KN3 and mature 10 days earlier. Normal selling price of the Kalanamak paddy ranges between Rs. 2500/- to Rs. 3500/-perquintal.InspiteofMSPannouncedbythegovernments,mostfarmers sell their HYV paddy around Rs. 1300/- per quintal. Cost of cultivation of Kalanamak and yield the same as HYV now, farmers get three times more net profit. Organic Kalanamak fetches 20% premium overnormalKalanamak.Summarilycompared to Rs. 17,500/- ha net profit from common HYV rice, Kalanamak KN3 will give Rs. 44,375, Bauna Kalanamak Rs. 71,500 and Organic Kalanamak Rs. 92,500 per hectare net profit. With the PRDF arranged contract growing, by involving farmers and marketing companies from Kharif 2018, tripling the net profit of the farmers is assuredsustainably.Thus,theproverb“Paddy and Poverty go together” is a myth now