Kalanamak rice has become a profitable crop for farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district after it was included in the state’s One District One Product (ODOP) scheme in 2018.
Government promotion, better marketing and new value-added products have increased demand, allowing farmers to get much higher prices.
PRICES HAVE RISEN SHARPLY
Farmers say Kalanamak rice, which earlier sold for around Rs 35–70 per kg, now sells for about Rs 180–200 per kg. Wholesale prices have reached around Rs 20,000 per quintal.
Demand has become so strong that traders from Delhi, Mumbai, Gorakhpur and other cities now contact farmers before the crop is harvested and sometimes offer advance payments.
CULTIVATION HAS EXPANDED
The area under Kalanamak cultivation has grown dramatically. It covered around 2,000 hectares in 2017, but now extends to nearly 20,000 hectares.
Farmers say the higher prices have encouraged more people to grow the traditional rice, although officials believe production still needs to increase to meet demand.
ODOP CREATED NEW MARKETS
Farmers and entrepreneurs credit the ODOP scheme with bringing greater recognition to Kalanamak rice.
Ajay Rawat, whose family has grown the rice for generations, said the scheme helped connect the product with national and international markets. His business has also developed products such as Kalanamak cookies.
He received a Rs 2.06-crore grant from the District Industries Department, which helped him participate in fairs and promote the product outside the district.
Farmers say awareness of the rice's nutritional qualities, including its low glycaemic index and nutrients such as zinc and protein, has also increased.
FARMERS NOW HAVE MORE BUYERS
Farmer Pankaj Chaubey said Kalanamak once sold for only Rs 5,000–6,000 per quintal. It can now fetch around Rs 20,000.
Another farmer, Mohit, said buyers now approach growers soon after sowing and sometimes book the crop in advance.
Brij Bhushan Chaudhary recalled that finding buyers was once difficult even at Rs 6,000–7,000 per quintal.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
The administration has invested in processing, packaging and marketing infrastructure. Since 2018, Rs 917 lakh in grants has reportedly been given to 306 beneficiaries.
The government has also organised buyer-seller meetings, awareness programmes and training sessions for farmers. Around 1,400 farmers have received Kalanamak-related training.
The rice is now available through online platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon, while a Common Facility Centre in Madhwapur supports processing and packaging.
New varieties, including Kiran 101, Kiran 102 and Kiran 103, are also being developed to improve productivity.
Overall, Kalanamak rice has gone from being a traditional crop with limited demand to a major commercial product for Siddharthnagar farmers, largely because of better prices, government promotion, improved processing and wider market access.
