Karkala farmers seek some love for local flavours

Amid the pandemic, some 20,000 households in Karkala, a coastal town in Udupi district, are growing ‘bili bende’ (white okra) in a concerted effort to create a marketplace for the vegetable that is known for its unique taste.

And it’s not just white okra that is being turned into a brand. Farmers are also looking to popularise the 'Karla kaje' variety of boiled rice, which is grown in Karkala in large quantities. Karla is the Tulu name for Karkala.

Anchoring this campaign to make the Karkala okra and rice popular is BJP legislator V Sunil Kumar.

Growing up to nearly a foot, the white okra grown in and around Karkala is known for its unique taste and size. Similarly, the kaje rice variety is known for its fibre and iron content.

“There are brands such as the Dharwad Pedha and Channapatna toys. We want to create a brand for the 'Karla kaje' variety and 'bili bende' from Karkala,” said Kumar, who is the Karkala MLA and the government’s chief whip.

“About 1.5 years ago, a meeting was held with the farmers of our taluk. It was decided to select two products that can be made into Karkala brands. A committee was formed and it chose the 'Karla kaje' and 'bili bende',” Kimar said, adding that this was a ‘vocal for local’ initiative.

In the last harvest season, farmers cultivated 5,500 quintals of kaje rice, which Kumar said was organic and non-polished. “This time, we plan to cultivate at least 10,500 quintals,” he said.

From June 1, Kumar started distributing the white okra seeds to 20,000 homes in his constituency free of cost.

“The idea is for people to take up agriculture and develop a feeling that bili bende is their brand. Our own people should grow it first, sell it in the local market and then take it to other markets,” he said.

“The bili bende takes 65-70 days to grow. It can be grown on the terrace or the facade. It needs wet waste, spraying of neem oil and minimal water,” Kumar said.

The MLA hopes to see Karla kaje and bili bende varieties become “a formidable brand” in the next 2-3 years and eventually acquire the Geographical Indication tag.