IIRR: Hike prices paid to rice farmers

Hyderabad: The Indian Institute of Rice Research will be organising an international rice symposium from November 18 to 20 in the city. The meet will focus on the major challenges facing rice cultivation like shrinking farmlands, labour shortage, water scarcity and climate change.

IIRR director Dr V. Ravindra Babu said the government should try to eliminate middlemen and increase the minimum support price for rice. Dr Babu said that climate change is a major challenge which the institute is trying to deal with by developing varieties which can withstand the rise in temperatures. The institute is growing rice in heat tunnels where temperatures are higher by 5 degree Celsius than the ambient temperature. He also pointed to the high usage of chemicals by farmers for fighting pests and infections and for getting better yields which is affecting soil quality. The IIRR has developed a rice with a glycaemic index between 45-50, more than 25 ppm of zinc and has 10% protein even after polishing. It also gives more yield without additional input. The variety will be launched in two years.

The IIRR has developed a pain balm, moisturiser and lotion for cracked heals from rice bran oil which has to be launched in the market. A conference will be organised in December for this purpose with companies and research institutes. It will also discuss crops like maize, sugarcane, millet, mustard and soya bean from which value added products have been developed.
 

 

 

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