Pokkali Rice Harvest: How The Saline-Tolerant Crop Is Harvested In Kerala
The story of a farmer in Kerala who cultivates and harvests Pokkali rice, a unique saline-tolerant rice variety grown across Alappuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala in Southern India.
Sarojini Chandu, 72, looks on as her husband M.M. Chandu, 78, shows a slightly blackened paddy stored in a bin at their home in Chellanam village, a suburb of Kochi, southern Kerala state. When pokkali is grown, salt water is pushed out and farmers use rain water to irrigate their crops.
A roadside poster put up by Joseph PV and his son Tom promote the sale of their Pokkali rice crop in Chathamma, Kochi, Kerala state. When Tom could not convince his father to get into year-round prawn cultivation, Tom reached a deal with him: “Grow pokkali, but leave marketing to me”.
Pokkali rice, right, and Pokkali paddy, from previous harvest, sit at the house of Joseph in Chathamma, Kochi. Compared to white rice, pokkali, rich in antioxidants, requires a longer time to cook. It has a more pronounced flavor and texture, making it an acquired taste for many.
Tom PV, prepares to put back logs of a wooden shutter that regulates water flow to their farm Chathamma, Kochi, Kerala. A father-son duo, Joseph and Tom, who own seven acres, manage better, thanks to Tom’s marketing efforts of Pokkali rice.
M.M. Chandu, 78, prepares to anchor his country boat as he arrives in the evening at his water surrounded farmland in Chellanam village, a suburb of Kochi. Chandu says he has been personally guarding his little over two acres of farmland every night for the past 22 years.
M.M. Chandu, 78, heads in the evening toward his water surrounded farmland in Chellanam village, a suburb of Kochi, southern Kerala.
Women wade through waist deep water to harvest paddy cultivated as part of Pokkali farming system at Kadamakkudy wetlands on the Arabian Sea coast in Kochi.
M.M. Chandu, 78, sits outside his small night shelter after he arrives in the evening to guard his water surrounded farmland in Chellanam village, a suburb of Kochi.
Joseph PV displays pamphlets which he along with his son, Tom, created to promote the sale of their Pokkali rice crop in Chathamma, Kochi, Kerala.
JPeople fish during a tidal swamp after water is drained at the end of prawn farming season before preparing the field for pokkali rice cultivation in Kochi, Kerala. When pokkali is grown, salt water is pushed out and farmers use rain water to irrigate their crops.
People fish at a tidal swamp after water is drained at the end of prawn farming season before preparing the field for pokkali rice cultivation in Kochi.
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