Rice, fish and shrimp from pokkali fields will soon be available under a brand name thanks to efforts by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ernakulam, under the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) to create an environment for farmers to get better returns from their farming activities.
Pokkali rice and value added products from the rice as well as fish varieties such as pearl spot ( karimeen ), mullet ( thirutha ) and shrimp will be sold under a common brand name from next year, says a CMFRI statement.
As a prelude to the branding exercise, a festival of premium quality fish from pokkali fields will be held at seven locations at Kadamakkudy, Pizhala and Cherai on Saturday. The festival will be held between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. on the day, the statement says. The location map for the festival sites is uploaded on the website,www.kvkernakulam.org.in. Those interested may contact CMFRI on phone (9539039912).
Similar festivals were held last year at Kumbalanghi and Nayarambal with great success, the CMFRI statement adds. The festival had attracted fish lovers from neighbouring areas as well. The statement also says that those interested in learning more about rice and fish farming in pokkali fields may contact P.A. Vikas of the CMFRI on phone (9447993980).
Branding the produces will give better returns to the farmers and make pokkali operations more sustainable, says the CMFRI statement, which also points out that though about 5,000 hectares of pokkali fields were available in and around Kochi, only about 800 hectares come under pokkali activities yearly. High cost of labour, shrimp diseases and climatic variations have affected pokkali cultivation and fish farming.
Efforts to make pokkali rice and fish farming have been taken up under the National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Pokkali rice has already received Geographical Indication Registration in 2009. It has also received the Plant Genome Community Saviour Award from Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Authority, Ministry of Agriculture during 2010-11.
Rice, fish and shrimp from pokkali fields will
be sold under a common brand name from next year, says CMFRI.
