Manipur’s Indigenous Black Rice Bags Global Excellence Award at BIRC 2026

New Delhi, 26 October: In a major milestone for North East India’s agricultural sector, Manipur has won the prestigious Global Excellence Award in the GI Rice Category at the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026.

Held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan from October 23 to 25, the three-day event concluded with global buyers celebrating the state's iconic black scented rice, Chak-Hao.

Organised by the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF), BIRC 2026 brought international stakeholders together. Manipur secured top honors for its exceptional indigenous product presentation and groundbreaking commercial innovations in value-added rice products. Kh. Nimaichand Singh, Seed Analyst for the Department of Agriculture, officially accepted the accolade on behalf of the state.

The Manipur delegation—spearheaded by Director of Agriculture Peter Salam alongside local entrepreneurs and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)—successfully positioned traditional heritage into contemporary culinary spheres. Alongside the standard GI-tagged Chak-Hao and Chak-Hao Angouba (white scented rice), the exhibition showcased consumer-ready innovations. These included instant black rice kheer, organic cookies, gulla, and bhujia.

Global interest peaked during live culinary demonstrations. Chefs successfully utilized the sticky, aromatic grains to roll fusion Korean kimbaps and Japanese sushi. Presenters on the BIRC stage emphasized the vast manufacturing potential of black rice flour, with state representatives vowing to scale up production capacity.

"This recognition marks a monumental step in propelling our traditional crop into mainstream international markets," remarked the agricultural delegation.

Industry experts noted that the global spotlight on Chak-Hao establishes a highly viable economic pathway for local Manipuri farmers. By bridging organic ethnic farming with value-added processing, the state is poised to secure extensive export opportunities across Asia and Europe.

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