Pokkali rice refers to salt tolerant traditional ‘rice cultivar’ grown in the coastal saline soils of Kerala. Majority of Pokkali land lie between the Vembanad Lake and the Arabian Sea coast and is distributed in the districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur and Alappuzha. Pokkali rice and the value added products made out of Pokkali rice have special taste and cooking qualities with medicinal properties.
Pokkali system mainly depends on traditional Pokkali cultivars. ChootuPokkali, Chettivirippu, Cheruvirippu, Kuruva, Anakodan, Eravapandy, Bali, Orkayama, Orpandy and Pokkali are the traditional cultivars prevalent in this tract.
Pokkali cultivation is a pure organic farming of rice in tune to natural and climatic situations existing in the area and the farmers undertake the cultivation as a challenge in a highly unfavourable situation. This organic system of rice cultivation is highly eco-friendly. The distinctive, exclusive and rare qualities of Pokkali rice could be the result of several factors.
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During summer months, due to ingression of salt water from the sea, the soil becomes saline. With the onset of monsoon the salinity of soil gradually decreases and the water become fresh and fit for cultivation of paddy. A special system of farming viz. Pokkali rice cultivation has been evolved through ages by the farmers of the area for the maximum utilization of available resources without affecting the eco-system. After the paddy cultivation, the fields are used for prawn/fish cultivation.
Pokkali cultivation is one of the major natural organic farming of rice prevalent in Kerala. The daily tidal inflow and outflow of backwaters, the luxuriant growth of micro flora and fauna, the natural deposit of decomposed floating aquatic weed mass and the huge left over biomass of rice plant after harvest make the Pokkali fields nutrient rich. Fishes cultured in Pokkali field act as biocontrol agents for weeds and pests and hence are a boon to this organic farming devoid of weedicide and pesticide application.
The very good cooking quality, with a high percentage of protein could be attributed to the genetic parameters of Pokkali cultivars, the purely organic method of cultivation and the method of processing. In general Pokkali rice is medium bold in shape with red kernel colour. The red kernel colour of the cultivars makes the Pokkali products more nutritious.
The bold grain with its medium amylose content and distinctive organoleptic characteristics of taste, flavour etc. has increased the consumer preference for Pokkali rice and other value added products like Pokkali puttupodi (special rice flour), Pokkali aval (rice flakes), Pokkali rice bran, Pokkali brown rice, Pokkali broken rice etc.
The traditional cultivars show slow digestibility compared to improved cultivars and is mainly used as parboiled rice. Quality analysis in rice has proved that parboiling in rice saves many of the nutrients in rice kernel that are otherwise lost during milling.
Pokkali rice and other Pokkali rice products have medicinal properties. Pokkali rice is commonly used in the preparation of ‘Marunnukanji’ which is a traditional health care food consumed during the Malayalam month “Karkidagam” falling during peak monsoon period in Kerala.
Pokkali rice bran is believed to be good for smoothening the problems associated with piles. Pokkali broken rice is also considered to be best for the preparation of starter food after recovering from certain diseases like cholera and typhoid. Rice gruel water (Kanji vellam) from Pokkali is also considered as a highly suitable drink to patients suffering from Cholera.
GI Tag Registration Date : 09 September 2008
GI Tag Number : 81
Certificate Number : 86
Geographical Area : Kerala
Special Cover Release Date : 30 March 2022
Cancellation : Pizhala 682 027
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : KL-09/2022
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