124 varieties of paddy seeds distributed to farmers in Kerala

Peringottukara: A notable effort to save diverse rice varieties for posterity has been launched by Avanangattil Kalari Sarvathobhadram Organics in Thrissur district. The organisation distributed 124 different types of paddy, including 64 traditional varieties from Kerala and 60 belonging to other states, among farmers free of cost. The seeds will be cultivated in various regions of Kerala, including Kannur, Palakkad and Thrissur districts. At an event organised by Sarvathobhadram Organics, A U Raghuraman Panicker distributed 100 g each of the seeds to farmers.

The seeds distributed at the event were stored from the paddy harvested in January from different plots at a field on the eastern side of the Avanangattil Kalari, a religious shrine. Farmers received unique varieties such as ‘Malakkaran’ from Kannur; the world’s smallest rice ‘Thulasi bhog’; ‘Jugal,’ having two rice grains inside a single paddy; ‘gandhakasala’; ‘kunhinellu’; ‘Seethabhag’ and ‘Thavalakkannan.’ The farmers also handed over seeds of rare varieties they had cultivated to the seed bank of Sarvathobhadram Organics.

A U Hrishikesh Panicker presided over the function. President of Thannyam panchayat Subha Suresh, K P Illyas, K R Sreeni, K Leneesh, A V Rahul and Linta Vinod spoke.