Reviving Traditional Organic Heirloom Pokkali Rice Farming Heritage of Kerala
Genomic DNA Sequence and Biomarker for Ezhikkara 2010 Pokkali Heirloom Seed
| Pokkali PLDA Apr 2025 Directive
| Pokkali PLDA Feb 2025 Directive
| Kerala Budget Allocations 2025-26
| Buy|Sell Pokkali Seeds|Rice
Pokkali - Millenia old GI-Tagged Organic Rice Farming Heritage of Kerala and India
Pokkali is the oldest indigenous rice variety that has 3000 years of organic cultivation and climate resilience history. The journey of Pokkali rice began from a flood, where earlier Pokkali was wild rice that was seen in the western ghats of India and was carried by the flood to low-lying coastal saline areas. All the climatic stress was overcome in this great journey and it developed resistance to flood and salinity. It is grown in the water-logged, coastal regions of Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Alappuzha districts in Kerala and is well known for its flood, saline tolerance, and high nutritional value. The rice got its name Pokkali, because of its notable height, which can grow up to 6 feet. In Malayalam, Pokkali is a term used to describe someone who dominates in height over others. Pokkali rice cultivation alternated with extensive aquaculture is known as Pokkali farming. In Kerala, when the southwest monsoons wash the salinity of the tiny soil mounds made in the fields, is the ideal time to start Pokkali paddy cultivation, it is carried out over 6 months which begins in May for soil preparation, June for sowing, July for Spreading and ends in October for harvesting, which is the first season. In the second season, which runs from November to April, prawns/fish are produced in the same field. During harvest, panicles are cut, and the remaining parts are left in the field, where they eventually serve as feed for fish farming. Source: Kerala Government Department of Agriculture Development & Farmers’ Welfare Farm Information Bureau. Kerala Karshakan November 2022
Current Status
Urgent targeted actions are needed from all those with goodwill (farm owners, laborers, citizens, district collector, LSG govt officials, political parties, others) to reverse the current alarming state of Pokkali farming neglect dominated by year round Prawn-only farming that threatens extinction of centuries old traditional heirloom Pokkali seeds and organic farming heritage of Kerala. A decade of well intentioned but ineffective policies including crop loss compensations and promoting genetically modified non-native seeds has lead to the current alarming decline in Pokkali farming. Crop loss is declared within days of sowing citing cliched reasons of bad weather, birds, no labor, no market etc to claim compensation and revert back to Prawn farming during Pokkali farming season. Pokkali tourism incentives are also ineffective without any Pokkali cultivation to be seen anywhere. Instead, incentives for a successful cultivation and harvesting of traditional organic Pokkali crop that commands premium market value are needed for farmers. Following good faith initiatives are being actively pursued to enable economic opportunities for the farming community and to revive the storied Pokkali Organic Agriculture Heritage of Kerala and an Organic Agriculture Treasure of India.
Pokkali Crop Calendar
Ensure adherance to District Collector's (Chairman of PLDA) directive to Pokkali Padasekharam Committee Officials, farm owners and sluice controllers to drain Pokkali farms completely within a week starting April-14th. Issue directives to Village Agriculture Officer, LSG Panchayath President, Assistant Director of Agriculture and District Director of Agriculture to monitor non-compliance by Padasekharam Committee Officials and take corrective actions to ensure Pokkali farming season is not lost. Farmers must provide photographic evidence of draining and ploughing farms and strengthening of boundaries (cheras) in April/May to get free seeds and subsidies from government. Stop free distribution of seeds to farmers who do not prepare farms and submit misleading photos and reasons to claim crop loss compensation.|
Online Marketplace
Online Marketplace to buy and sell Organic Pokkali Seeds and Rice at competitive pricepoints comparable to Organic Basmati rice and equivalents. Enable profitable Minimum Support Prices. Ensure rice cultivated only from traditional heirloom seeds in coastal Pokkali clay farms (not inland farms) of Ernakulam and Alappuzhia districts are branded and sold as authentic Pokkali.
Genome Database
Genomic DNA Sequence database for all existing traditional Pokkali rice seeds (past and present) exclusively from coastal clay Pokkali farm lands of Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts that represent authentic GI Tagged Organic Pokkali cultivation to enable rapid classification, authentication, preservation and revival.
Seed Vault
Deploy low cost air, temperature, humidity, moisture, condensation, light and pest controlled modern version of classic Kerala Pathayam seed vault (not just storage) to preserve all heirloom traditional Pokkali seed varieties for a minimum of 2 cultivation seasons. Eliminates risk of extinction of seeds due to crop loss in consequitive seasons triggered by any external natural calamity or human negligence. Proven low cost solutions used in tropical regions of south asia.
Cultivation Costs
Detailed cost breakdown of fully Organic Pokkali crop cultivation and harvesting using traditional methods and local labor. Derived from a successful Pokkali farming done in 2024. Cost per Kg of seeds, rice grains and downstream derivative products. Cost allocations for key steps including Seeds, Transport, Vellam Pidikkal, Chera Vettal, Nilam Unakkal, Nilam marakkal, Thodu Valikkal, Kelakkal, Vithakkal, Niratthal, {Attakili Nilakkozhi, Eli-vettal, Chaazhi} nottam, Koyitthu, Transport, Kettu Kalam, Unakkal, Chettal, Vithu maattal, Puzhungal, Unakkal, Methikkal, Chettal, Bagging etc.
Successful Pokkali Farming
Successful organic cultivation and harvesting of traditional Chettivirippu Pokkali without any fertilizers or pesticides was achieved during the 2025 and 2024 farming seasons at Ezhikkara, validating the exceptionally nutrient rich and naturally organic Pokkali farmlands of coastal Kerala. Minimal impact of Attakkili, Nellikkozhi, Thattha, Eli-vettal or Chaazhi etc were observed and successfully mitigated using effective time tested traditional deterrance mechanisms. Validates continuing viability of centuries old traditional organic farming methods.
Pokkali Cultivation Calendar
Month |
Activity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 14-30 | Draining Drying |
Draining, Clearing and reinforcing Bunds വെള്ളം പിടിക്കൽ | നിലം ഉണക്കൽ | ചെറ വെട്ടൽ |
| May | Farm Preparation | Ploughing, Tilling, Mound Creation നിലം കിള ക്കൽ | തോട്/വാരം വലി ക്കൽ |
| Jun | Sowing | June 1-15: Let first monsoon rains wash out soil salt. June 16-23: Germinate seeds for sowing June 24-30: Sow seeds and monitor for bird and rodent pests for 10 days. വിത്തു മുളപ്പിക്കൽ | വിത ക്കൽ |
| July | Spreading | Spread out and distribute 28-day old foot-high saplings to cover farm. ഞാറു നിരത്തൽ |
| Aug | Monitor | Monitor for bird and rodent pests. Periodically drain farm to allow sunlight to reach root clump. ആറ്റക്കിളി, എലിവെട്ടൽ, നെല്ലിക്കോഴി, ചാഴി നോട്ടം | കളം ഒരുക്കൽ |
| Sep | Monitor | Monitor for bird and rodent pests. Sluice control for regular tidal inflows and outflows.കൊയ്ത്ത് | മെതിക്കൽ | ഉണക്കൽ | പതിരു ചെറ്റൽ | വിത്തു മാറ്റൽ |
| Oct | Harvesting | Await golden hue of rice grains and visual tilt of heavy stalks. At around 110 days from sowing, initiate harvesting. Cut top 2/3rd of stalk with gains. Leave bottom 1/3rd bare stalk in the farm for organic composting. കൊയ്ത്ത് | മെതിക്കൽ | ഉണക്കൽ | പതിരു ചെറ്റൽ | വിത്തു മാറ്റൽ |
| Nov 01-14 | Threshing Drying Milling |
Dry/Roll/Dry harvested slaks. Thresh harvested stalks to get rice grains. 5-day drying/cooling/rolling sequence to get needed quantitiy of sowing seeds for next season. Store in dark/cool place. Boil/Dry/Mill rest of sweeds to get rice graiins. പുഴുങ്കൽ | ഉണക്കൽ | പൊടിക്കൽ | പൊക്കാളി അരി |
| Nov 15-30 | Prawn Farming | Prepare farm for Prawn farming |
| Dec | Prawn Farming | Prawn farming |
| Jan | Prawn Farming | Prawn farming |
| Feb | Prawn Farming | Prawn farming |
| Mar | Prawn Farming | Prawn farming |
| Apr 01-14 | Prawn Harvesting | Harvest Prawn and wind down Prawn Farming |
Tide Times for Kochi and surrounding coastal Kerala
Pokkali Farms of Kerala
Pokkali South Padasekharam Ezhikkara
Pokkali Central Padasekharam Ezhikkara
Pokkali Padasekharam Kadamakudy
Pokkali PLDA Directive Feb 2025