GI-tagged Marcha Chura from West Champaran becomes Makar Sankranti favourite for many

Bettiah: The demand for aromatic “Marcha Chura” (flattened rice) from West Champaran has significantly increased in Jan, the month in which Makar Sankranti is celebrated, following its official Geographical Indication (GI) tag in Nov 2023.The demand has risen sharply, not just locally, but also from major Indian cities like Mumbai, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Delhi and even across the world. It is a common and widely cultivated crop in Ramnagar, Gaunaha, Mainatand, Chanpatiya, Narkatiyaganj and Lauriya blocks of West Champaran district.A grocery store owner Rajesh Gupta said while this “chuda” is sold year-round, its highest demand is during Makar Sankranti. “Its wholesale price used to be Rs50-70 per kg, but now it has risen to Rs90-110 per kg, while the retail price has reached Rs150 per kg. It is sold in 1 kg and 5 kg packets,” he said.A consumer Munilal Prasad said, “Three years ago, the entire family of a relative from Delhi visited our home in Bagaha. We served them “Marcha Chura” with curd and jaggery. They were impressed by its aroma and taste. Now, every year before Makar Sankranti, he orders 10 to 15 kg of this “chura” from Delhi.” He also served curd and “chura” to several of his friends there, who greatly appreciated its taste. They also demand it, he said.A farmer of Ramnagar, Vijay Tiwary, who has cultivated several varieties of crops, said the area under Marcha paddy cultivation in West Champaran has tripled from 1,000 to 3,000 hectares, as farmers are motivated by the better prices and demand.Agriculture scientist Vinay Kumar said Marcha rice is a variety of non-Basmati, short-grain aromatic rice, mainly grown in Bihar. It is common and widely cultivated in Ramnagar, Gaunaha, Mainatand, Chanpatiya, Narkatiyaganj and Lauriya blocks of West Champaran district. He said this rice variety has a unique aroma in plants, grains, and flakes, adding, the ‘chura’ made from it is soft and sweet.He further said this rice variety develops a unique aroma due to specific agro-climatic conditions, particularly in blocks along the Budhi-Gandak and Sikarahna rivers. The soil is enriched with minerals from the water from the Himalayan terrain that enriches the soil with minerals. A microclimate with low temperatures during Oct and Nov enhances the aroma development. The aroma is present in the field from the seedling to the flowering stage.According to a member of Marcha Dhan Utpadak Pragatisheel Samuh from Mainatand, they filed the application for the GI registration of Marcha rice in Nov 2021 and it was granted the GI tag in 2023 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name “Marcha rice” exclusive to the rice grown in the region. It thus has become the second rice variety from Bihar after Katarni rice and the 23rd type of good from Bihar to earn the GI tag.