Chak-Hao is an aromatic, glutinous, and large-grained black
rice
Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
variety mainly grown in the
Indian states
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 800 districts and smaller administrative divisions by the respe ...
of
Manipur
Manipur () is a state in northeastern India with Imphal as its capital. It borders the Indian states of Assam to the west, Mizoram to the south, and Nagaland to the north and shares the international border with Myanmar, specifically t ...
and
Nagaland
Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Sel ...
. It is a common and widely cultivated crop in the districts of
Imphal East,
Imphal West
Imphal West district ( Meitei pronunciation:/ˈɪmfəl or ɪmˈfɑːl/) is one of the sixteen districts of Manipur state in northeastern India. As of 2011, it is the most populous district in the state.
Geography
Lamphelpat city is the administ ...
,
Bishnupur,
Thoubal of Manipur and
Peren district of Nagaland. Chak-Hao or Chakhao or Chak Hao Amubi are variations of the same name. It is popularly called the Black rice of Manipur or Manipur Black rice.
Under its
Geographical Indication
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town or region). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, is inten ...
tag, it is referred to as "Chak-Hao".
Name
Chak-Hao, literally translated as "Delicious rice" in the local state language of
Manipuri (Meitei); with "Chak" meaning "rice" while the word "Ahaoba" means "delicious".
Varieties
Manipur's scented rice varieties are classified by farmers based on grain color into four types: Chakhao Amubi (Black), Chakhao Poireiton (Purple), Chakhao Angangba (Red), and Chakhao Angouba (White).
Description
Black rice is described as aromatic, glutinous containing no gluten, sticky and soft after cooking, and is a purple color after cooking. It is grown without using agrochemicals. It is used for ceremonial purposes and special occasions during making of Chakhao
kheer
Kheer, khir or payasam is a pudding or porridge popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice. It can be additionally flavoured with dried fruits, nuts, cardamom and saffron. Instead of rice, ...
. It requires 40-45 minutes to cook due to the presence of the fibrous
bran
Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the component of a Cereal, cereal grain consisting of the hard layersthe combined aleurone and Fruit anatomy#Pericarp layers, pericarpsurrounding the endosperm. Maize, Corn (maize) bran also includes the p ...
layer and higher crude fiber content.
Geographical indication
It was awarded the
Geographical Indication
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town or region). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, is inten ...
(GI) status tag from the
Geographical Indications Registry, under the
Union Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of 36 states and union territo ...
, on 20 April 2020 and is valid until 25 December 2027.
Consortium of Producers of Chak-Hao (Black Rice) from Imphal, proposed the GI registration of Chak-Hao. After filing the application in December 2017, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2020 by the Geographical Indication Registry in
Chennai
Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
, making the name "Chak-Hao" exclusive to the rice grown in the region. It thus became the first rice variety from Manipur and Nagaland. It also is the 5th type of goods from Manipur and 4th from Nagaland to earn the GI tag respectively.
The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.
References
{{Varieties of rice
Rice varieties
Indian cuisine
GI Tagged Rice varieties of India
Rice production in India
Economy of Manipur
Agriculture in Manipur
Geographical indications in Manipur
Economy of Nagaland
Agriculture in Nagaland
Geographical indications in Nagaland