Famous Basmati Rice of Uttarakhand :

Introduction :

Rice is the major cereal crop of kharif season accounting for more than 54 percent of the total area under cereals in the state. The annual rice production of the state is around 5.5 lakh tonnes from an area of about 2.80 lakh hectares. Half of this area is in the plains and half in the hills, but the total rice production of the hills is twice the total production of the hills. Rice is cultivated in all the 13 districts of the state, but maximum area (33%) is in district Udham Singh Nagar which produces about 48% of the total rice produced annually in the state. Districts Nainital, Hardwar and Dehradun occupy about 17.5 per cent area and contribute 22.2 per cent in the total production. From productivity point of view these districts are classified in the medium category. Rest of the nine districts are classified in the low productivity category. These nine districts together occupy about 49.2 per cent area, but contribute only to 30 per cent of the total production. After the creation of the state some decline in rice area has been observed due to industrialization in the plains and diversion of area for other development purposes.

Region-wise/ district-wise rice ecosystems:

 There are two distinct rice ecosystems in the state. District Udham Singh Nagar, Hardwar and plains of Nainital and Dehradun districts grow rice under irrigated ecosystem. Rest of the nine districts viz., Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pauri, Tehri and hill regions of districts Dehradun and Nainital are under rainfed upland ecosystem.

Varieties/Hybrids :

 i. Irrigated plains: a) Early (110-115 days): Govind, Narendra Dhan-118, Saket-4, Narendra Dhan-97, Pant Sankar Dhan-1. b) Medium (120-125 days): Pant Dhan-4, Narendra Dhan-359, Pant Dhan-10, Saryu-52, PNR-381, Pant Sankar Dhan-3, Narendra Sankar Dhan-2, Pant Dhan-18, Pant Dhan-19, PR113, PR-114. c) Basmati varieties: Type-3, Kasturi, Pusa Basmati-1, Basmati-370, Taraori Basmat, Haryana Basmati-1, Pant Sugandh Dhan-15, Pant Sugandh Dhan-17, Pusa-1121, Pusa RH-10.

 ii. Hills: 1. Direct seeded upland a. Spring (March/ April seeded) : Locally this is known as chetaki dhan. The varieties are Majhera-3, Pant Majhera Dhan-7, VL Dhan-206, VL Dhan-207, VL Dhan-208 and VL Dhan-209. b. June seeded: Locally known as jethi dhan. The varieties are VL Dhan-163, VL Dhan221, Vivek Dhan-154.

Iii. Irrigated : a. Lower hills: Saket-4, Prasad, Govind, Pant Dhan-11. b. Medium hills (i) Early maturing: VLK Dhan-39, Pant Dhan-6, VL Dhan-81, VL Dhan-85, Vivek Dhan-82. (ii) Medium maturing: VL Dhan-16, VL Dhan-61, VL Dhan-65, Vivek Dhan-62.

Rice Production Scenario :

The current rice growing area in the state is about 2.8 lakh hectares and production is 5.7 lakh quintals. Half of this area is in the hills and half in the plains, but the total production in the plains is almost two and half times the production in the hills. The average productivity of the state is 20.39 q/ha. There is a wide gap between the productivity of hills (12.55 q/ha) and productivity of plains (27.55 q/ha). The highest productivity among hill districts was observed in Tehri Garhwal which is 1.6 t/ha and lowest in Almora and Pauri Garhwal districts which is about 1 t/ha. The main reasons for a wide difference in productivity are (i) There exists a wide variation between hills and plains for irrigation facilities and fertilizer consumption (ii) The hill districts witness harsh climate in terms of prevailing low temperature and moisture stress (iii) Very low or negligible use of chemical fertilizers in the hills, particularly under rainfed upland conditions (iv) Small or marginal and scattered land holdings and woman based agriculture (v) Non-availability of inputs, poor socio-economic condition of the farmers and poor extension network. The major factors contributing to high yields in the plains are high yielding varieties, irrigation facilities and adoption of modern crop production and crop protection technologies. In the valleys where rice yields are as high as in the plains the irrigation water plays the most crucial role.

Rice production and economic analysis :

The average costs and returns from rice cultivation in district Udham Singh Nagar. The total cost of rice production in tarai is high due to very high cost of the labour, full application of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals. Due to higher yields rice cultivation is a profitable proposition and average returns are around Rs. 20,000 per hectare. Farmers involved in seed production and cultivation of basmati rice make even higher profits. The cost of cultivation of rice is Rs. 13609/ha in the valleys which is about 44% more than that on the terrace (Rs. 8710). The material cost, which includes bullock power, FYM( Farm Yard Manure), seed, irrigation and fertilizer worked out to be Rs. 4611/ha accounting for 53% to the total cost on terraces and Rs. 6552 in valleys, accounting for 48% to total cost. Material cost is more in valleys due to use of chemical fertilizers. FYM  is the most important input followed by seed, which together account for 37 % to total cost in terraces, while in valleys bullock power is the most important component of material cost with 17 % to the total cost followed by FYM having 12% share. In both the situations human labour include only family labour.

Labour cost is Rs. 4099 in terraces and Rs. 7057/ha in valleys which constitute 47 and 52 %, respectively to total cost. Weeding cost emerged out as a main component of labour cost in terraces. It is Rs. 1602 for terraces and Rs. 1043/ha for valleys, followed by harvesting cost of Rs. 919 and Rs. 1730 in terraces and valleys, respectively. The yields of rice are 31.2 and 9.37 qtls/ha in valleys and terraces, respectively. The yield differences were due to non-adoption of modern technologies in terraces due to irrigation problems. Large differences are observed in gross returns from rice cultivation in two heterogeneous rice growing environments. In valleys gross returns are about three times (Rs. 17864/ha) than that of terraces (Rs. 6149). Adoptions of modern technologies for rice cultivation in valleys are alone sufficient to explain the variation in gross and net returns. The net returns are negative.

Conservation Efforts :

Doon Basmati, a rice variety known for its rich aroma and distinctive flavour, is fading fast as the area where it is grown is getting lost to fast paced urbanisation. A beginning has now been made to conserve and propagate this exclusive variety of cereal which is endemic to the scenic Doon valley. Doon Basmati is a species of rice that is not found elsewhere in the world but it is fading fast. 

Farming of Doon Basmati rice is now confined to a few areas that can be counted on finger tips. In fact, a host of other varieties of Basmati rice are sold in the name of Doon Basmati adding that it is as a very delicate variety of rice.It is endemic to the Doon valley owing to its typical agro-climatic conditions. Besides, this species of rice survives in running water only. Then, it is an absolutely organically produced cereal which tends to lose its aroma and flavour if chemical fertilisers or pesticides are used in growing it. 

Doon Basmati was developed by the rice growers in the Doon valley. A number of factors like shrinking agricultural land owing to the fast paced urbanisation led to the fast fading of that exclusive variety of rice. Lack of marketing facilities and the government support such as subsidies were other factors that pushed Doon Basmati rice to the brink of extinction.  Doon Basmati rice was also once grown in what has now developed into a massive urban area.

• Government preparing a plan to conserve and propagate this rare variety of organically produced rice besides replicating it elsewhere in the state. A plan aimed to revive Doon Basmati rice would soon be chalked out in consultation with farmers. As part of this move,  have set up an expert group comprising officials and scientists adding that it (expert group) would study ways and means to rejuvenate that exclusive variety of rice.The experts will soon compile a report based on their study, which will be submitted to the state government for its implementation. The step is being taken to conserve and propagate Doon Basmati because besides being a rare variety of rice it is also an intrinsic part of Dehradun’s rich heritage.
• Basmati rice from Dehradun is renowned all over the world for its long grain, rich aroma and delicious taste. In Uttarakhand it is grown at an altitude of 400-600 m above sea level. It has a lower glycemic index than any other rice and contains soluble fibre and carbohydrates so for this given GI tag along with other states.
• Government is also creating a seed bank of this exclusive variety of rice with the help of farmers who grow it,  robust marketing facilities would also be created.
• Plans were also afoot to create a gene pool of Doon Basmati rice.