19th National Paddy Festival Celebrated in Kanchikovil
The 19th National Paddy Festival was held on July 20, 2025, at the Arima Sangam Marriage Hall, Kanchikovil, jointly organized by the Kanchikovil Lions Club, CREATE – Save Our Rice Campaign, and the Erode Uzhavan Producer Company. The event drew over 260 participants, including farmers, entrepreneurs, consumers, and community members.
Mr. Nallusamy, Founder of the Erode Organic Turmeric Farmers Producer Company, presided over the gathering.
Dr. Kovai Bala, a renowned naturopathy doctor and food advisor, spoke about the health benefits of traditional rice varieties, emphasizing how specific varieties support different body systems—such as the nervous system, bones, muscles, and digestion—especially when paired with local vegetables and greens. He also highlighted traditional cooking techniques that help retain the nutritional and medicinal value of rice.
Mrs. M.P. Parimala Devi, an organic farmer and founder of Parimalam Agro Foods, shared her inspiring journey in organic farming and entrepreneurship. She discussed how she overcame challenges and successfully used social media to scale her business.
Mr. Suresh Kanna, Project Director of CREATE, presented the organization’s long-standing efforts in reviving traditional paddy varieties through seed festivals, farmer training, and farmer-consumer linkages. He shared insights from nutritional testing conducted on 20 traditional rice varieties in partnership with NIFTEM-T, stressing the importance of public awareness on these findings. He also appealed to the Lions Club to support health profiling of traditional varieties native to the Kongu region, as further research requires financial support.
A farmer from Perunthurai demonstrated the success of seed revival by returning 60 kg of Sowrna Masuri seeds, grown from just 2 kg received the previous year.
As part of the festival, the following 11 traditional paddy varieties were distributed:
- Mappillai Samba
- Karungkuruvai
- Kalan Namak
- Karuppu Kavuni
- Ponggar
- Rathasali
- Sivan Samba
- Nellaiyappar
- Sowrna Masuri
- Thanga Samba
- Naatu Ponni
Tree seedlings, including mango, tamarind, and flowering plants, were also distributed to promote agroforestry.
The festival featured over 20 exhibition stalls, displaying a wide range of native seeds, organic vegetables, rice products, cow dung-based items, and herbal health drinks. Participants enjoyed a traditional meal featuring Mappillai Samba sambar rice and Karuppu Kavuni curd rice, celebrating the nutritional richness and cultural heritage of native foods.
