Modi Showcases India’s Heritage Rice to FAO Director

In a significant cultural and agricultural exchange, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over prized samples of traditional Indian rice to the head of the Food and Agriculture Organization. The varieties represented five distinct regions: Kerala’s Palakkad Red Rice, West Bengal’s Gobindabhog, the celebrated Basmati of the Indo-Gangetic plains, Assam’s aromatic Joha, and Uttar Pradesh’s Kalanamak. Each grain tells its own story of soil, climate, and centuries-old farming practices. Palakkad Red Rice retains its bran layer, delivering fibre, magnesium, and vitamin B6. Gobindabhog offers a buttery aroma ideal for Bengali sweets, while long-grain Basmati elongates dramatically when cooked and carries a delicate fragrance. Joha rice is prized for its antioxidant richness and sweet notes, and Kalanamak, or Buddha Rice, is valued for its low glycaemic index and mineral density. Alongside the rice, millet bars crafted from sorghum and pearl millet were presented, spotlighting climate-smart crops that are gaining popularity in modern health food markets. The exchange reinforced India’s role in sharing sustainable agricultural knowledge worldwide.