The Daily Morning also contacted the President of the National Agrarian Unity (NAU) organisation, Anuradha Tennakoon, who promotes a variety called Rath El that is claimed to be a rice variety that would be a solution for any possible food shortage in the recent future.
Following are excerpts of the interview
What is this particular variety that you are promoting?
This variety, called Swayanjatha Rath El has a history dating back to the time of the Buddha. It was consumed by the Buddha and the Buddhist clergy according to scripts. Later, it was cultivated as a horticultural crop as a symbol of prosperity. Now, it is grown in vast areas in Balaharuwa, Monaragala. It was only a few acres earlier; now, it is spreading to a larger area.
What requirements does Rath El need?
No deep ploughing or mudding is needed for this cultivation. You can seed after just ploughing the land once. It takes six months to the first harvest. After that, harvesting can continue for even two years. Maintenance of this crop involves cutting down extra leaves. An ordinary water supply is sufficient, and no chemical fertiliser is needed. This crop is sensitive to organic fertiliser - if chemical fertiliser is given, more leaves grow and the harvest is reduced. But, organic fertiliser increases the harvest.
The RRDI denies that this is a rice variety. What is your answer?
The reason that they give is that this is not rice but a sorghum variety. But, we grow sorghum too, and we see distinct differences between Rath El and sorghum. A sorghum plant does not bend - it is very tall and straight. Unlike that, Rath El bends down like any rice variety. Further, they say that this does not fall under Oryza sativa, the scientific categorisation of (Asian cultivated) rice. Yet, all over the country, there are rice varieties that do not fall under this categorisation. We don't accept the demarcations made by the RRDI. We have obtained research from various institutes proving that this variety carries better nutrition than other rice varieties.
You claim that this will be a solution to establish food security? Why?
This does not require specific land ploughing or chemical fertiliser, so, it’s not affected by global tensions. It does not require much water. It can withstand droughts, and the harvest is higher. Other rice varieties normally yield 1,500 kg to 2,000 kg per acre. We have proven that we can take approximately 5,000 kg per acre.
This can be used to make other products like biscuits and cakes. We have tried them all. This can give a harvest for years. Soil erosion is relatively lesser. Even now, the demand in the market is high - we can’t even meet the demand at this point. One kg sells for Rs. 1,200. The major market is mainly Colombo.
At Rs. 1,200 per kg, how practical is this as a normal rice variety? That is beyond the buying power of many.
A: It is an online market for now. This is the initial stage of cultivation. Because the demand is high and production is very low, prices have gone up. If we spread cultivation across the country, prices can be reduced drastically.
What is the policy regarding this variety? When applying for farming loans, you must mention the crop. Does the Agriculture Department acknowledge this variety?
No. You can’t get any loan or concession for this crop. The Department does not recognise this as a cultivation yet. They discourage the farming of this variety.
Any final insights?
This is a perfect solution to ensure food security in the country and is very profitable for the farmer. Hence, it is very important to spread awareness of this variety.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the interviewee, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication