By Bimol Okram
IMPHAL, Jan 19: The Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) will find out the scientific information about the black rice locally known as `Chak-hao`™ for value addition, and to increase its production and to popularise it as a brand product outside the State.
Briefing media-persons in his office at Takyelpat, IBSD director professor Dinabandhu Sahoo highlighted the advantages of black rice.
The director told IFP that black rice which is found only in Manipur and costly is in high demand outside the State but the State is unfortunately not able to export it in a vast scale and popularise the product outside the State.
He also added that the locally found bamboo is of a good quality and can be used for making bamboo-based products. So, if small bamboo-based products of good quality which can be transported easily are exported, buyers outside the state will be keen to buy the products.
`The people here are quite talented but are not able to use their talent in earning money by exporting their product outside the state which may be due to some financial problems`, he said.
Professor Sahoo added that IBSD is planning to create a bio-tourism circuit in the State to attract tourists. The objective is to let the tourists witness the natural beauty of Manipur and to educate them about environment protection.
Moreover, people are gradually losing out on traditional knowledge due to lack of its exposure to a wider audience which is disheartening. On the other hand, scientists are finding it difficult to gain knowledge from the local people to be more acquainted with the traditional knowledge, he added.
