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It has been reported that the production and export of Kalanamak variety has significantly increased in the last three years.

About Kalanamak Rice:

• It is a non-basmati scented rice variety.
• It is grown in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh and it is named so because of its black husk.
• This rice variety upholds larger hopes for the farmers and rice exporters to promote indigenous varieties of rice and conserve the traits of rice native to the subcontinent. 
• In March 2021 the government of Uttar Pradesh celebrated Kalanamak Rice Festival in order to promote the One district and One Product campaign.
• It has high salt content and overshadows basmati due to its agronomic potential.
• The region where Kalanamak rice is grown comprises the Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh bordering Nepal along with Siddharthnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Basti, Gonda and Gorakhpur. This stretch of area is known as the Kalanamak belt.
• The Kalanamak rice from the Siddharthnagar district is conferred with the GI tag.

Benefits

• Highly resistant to notorious rice diseases like panicle blast, stem rot and brown spot that cause huge crop losses for the farmers, unlike the Dehradun basmati which is highly susceptible to diseases. 
• The Bacterial blight is rarely observed.
• Requires low water content and doesn’t need standing water during transplantation.
• Can be grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• Low input and labour cost.