Daltonganj: Mahuadanr, a 14-panchayat block in Latehar district known for its wolf sanctuary, is emerging as an exporter of aromatic Jeera Phool rice.Latehar deputy commissioner Sandip Kumar on Monday flagged off a 6.7 metric tonnes’ consignment of the rice to Gurgaon.“Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) has encouraged tribal and other farmers to cultivate this aromatic variety,” Kumar said on Tuesday.Jeera Phool gets its name from the grain’s resemblance to cumin seeds, known as jeera in Hindi.Latehar JSLPS district programme manager Santosh Kumar said the agency had assessed Mahuadanr’s potential for cultivating the variety on the DC’s instructions. “The block’s climate is suitable for growing this rice,” he said.Officials said a modern processing and packaging plant, built at a cost of Rs 1 crore using District Mineral Foundation Trust funds, has been set up in Mahuadanr.The Gurgaon-based buyer sells aromatic rice online through the Kisan Se portal, administrative sources said. Jeera Phool currently sells for around Rs 100 per kg and could command higher prices in metropolitan markets, they added.For local farmers, access to a larger market has raised hopes of better earnings.“I began cultivating Jeera Phool rice last year on two acres and am confident that my income will increase,” said Rosaliya Lakra, a tribal farmer from Amwatiker. “I had never imagined that my produce would reach a major market such as Gurgaon.”Officials said JSLPS was encouraging farmers in Latehar to move beyond conventional agricultural practices and take up more remunerative crops.However, the aromatic crop also faces threats from wild animals. Kumar Ashish, deputy director of the South division of Palamu Tiger Reserve, said elephants and wild boars are attracted to aromatic crops. “Farmers have been advised to take all necessary precautions to protect the crop,” he said.
