📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Fredericknoronha
Agriculture
Curtorim Seed Keeper Suspends Heirloom Rice Cultivation
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 21 Sep 2026, 02:36 AM
👁 6
A seed‑preservation initiative in Curtorim, Goa, announced it will cease planting its traditional heirloom rice varieties, citing challenges in maintaining the crop.
Curtorim, a coastal town in Goa, is home to a community‑run seed‑saving group that has been cultivating heirloom rice varieties for decades. The group disclosed that it will stop sowing these traditional strains from the upcoming planting season, marking a significant shift in its conservation agenda.
The decision stems from a combination of factors: declining yields, limited market demand, and increasing difficulty in sourcing authentic seed stock. Members also highlighted that changing climatic patterns have made the water‑intensive heirloom rice less viable compared to high‑yielding modern hybrids.
Conservationists warn that the withdrawal could erode genetic diversity that these native varieties represent. The seed‑saver team said it will focus on documenting the rice’s characteristics and exploring partnerships to re‑introduce the crop in controlled trials, hoping to revive interest among farmers and consumers.
Local authorities were briefed on the move, and officials indicated they would monitor the impact on Goa’s agricultural heritage. The group plans to keep its seed bank intact, preserving the genetic material for future research.
The development underscores the broader challenges faced by small‑scale custodians of India’s agricultural biodiversity, as economic pressures increasingly clash with preservation goals.
The decision stems from a combination of factors: declining yields, limited market demand, and increasing difficulty in sourcing authentic seed stock. Members also highlighted that changing climatic patterns have made the water‑intensive heirloom rice less viable compared to high‑yielding modern hybrids.
Conservationists warn that the withdrawal could erode genetic diversity that these native varieties represent. The seed‑saver team said it will focus on documenting the rice’s characteristics and exploring partnerships to re‑introduce the crop in controlled trials, hoping to revive interest among farmers and consumers.
Local authorities were briefed on the move, and officials indicated they would monitor the impact on Goa’s agricultural heritage. The group plans to keep its seed bank intact, preserving the genetic material for future research.
The development underscores the broader challenges faced by small‑scale custodians of India’s agricultural biodiversity, as economic pressures increasingly clash with preservation goals.