Bao-dhaan, the iron rich red rice from the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam, has crossed the oceans for the first time to reach the United States. A major boost to India’s rice trade, the export will enhance the economy of the rice producers in Assam.
Leading rice exporter LT foods has sourced Bao-dhaan to the US. APEDA Chairman M Angamuthu flagged off the exports at Sonepat, Haryana the other day. APEDA has been promoting export of rice through collaborations with various stakeholders in the value chains. As part of this, the government set up the Rice Export Promotion Forum (REPF), under the aegis of the APEDA. 
The Forum has representations from rice industry, exporters, APEDA officials, ministry of commerce and directors of agriculture from major rice producing states such as West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Official records show that shipment of non-Basmati rice witnessed an impressive spike from April 2020 to January 2021. The non-basmati rice exports was pegged at Rs 26,058 crore during April-January, 2021.
Bao Dhan, which comes under the Deep Water Rice (DWR) variety, is generally grown in low, swampy lands and flood-prone areas. The average yield of DWR is poor. It ranges from 1.5 to 2.0 t/ha. Apart from Assam, DWR is also cultivated in a few pockets in Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.
