Black Rice— the ‘Forbidden’ Grain

Different varieties of high-yielding paddy are being cultivated in the country. And now Added to this is Black Rice. It is said that because of its rich nutritional value, black rice was secretly cultivated by the Chinese rulers for their health. Which was completely forbidden for the subjects to cultivate or eat. For this reason, it is also called forbidden paddy.

This is the first time that 'Black Rice' is being cultivated in Ranishankail Upazila of Thakurgaon. Curious people are flocking to see this paddy field in a blink of an eye. This rice has a lot of nutritional value. There are 11 medicinal properties. it Contains amino acids. Copper, zinc, fiber levels are also quiet. Diabetic patients can also eat it because it is low in carbohydrates. In many countries including China, this rice is used to treat various diseases including kidney and liver problems. Moreover, it is more effective in controlling obesity than white rice or refined flour.

Eight farmers of the Upazila planted this paddy on the initiative of Ranishankail Agriculture Officer Sanjay Debnath. He collected 1 kg of black rice paddy seeds from each farmer. Now the farmers are threshing and drying the paddy. After hearing about the cultivation and benefits of black paddy, many farmers are rushing to collect the seeds.

Alamgir Hossain and Jamirul Islam, farmers of Jaogaon village of the Upazila, Paygam Ali and Allama Al Wadud bin Noor (Alif) of Bangaon village, Faruk Hossain of Dharmagarh union, and eight other farmers of the Upazila have caught everyone's attention by cultivating this black rice for the first time like other modern paddy cultivation in Ranishankail.

Although black rice is cultivated like normal paddy, it does not require any additional fertilizer or water. No separate care is required. 16-17 manas of paddy has been harvested per bigha of land.

Paygam Ali, the best farmer of Ranishankail Upazila, thinks that if this rice is produced and spread all over the country, it will play a positive role in the economy of the country.

Agriculture Officer Sanjay Debnath said that black rice is an antioxidant-rich rice. The sheaf of the paddy is also bigger than the ordinary paddy. This rice has to be taken care of like other rice. This rice is also black and rich in nutrients. Black rice does not allow body fat to accumulate and is slowly digested.