Bhalia wheat

Farm of Bhal region with Bhalia Wheat crop.
Bhalia Wheat in the market for sale.

Bhalia Wheat, also known as Daudkhani Wheat is a type of long grain Wheat cultivated in Bhal region in the north of Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, India. It received registration as Geographic Indication in 2011.[1]

Location

Bhal region is situated between Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar districts[2] where this wheat are cultivated starting much before independence of India.[3] They are widely cultivated in Dhandhuka, Dholka and Bavla talukas of Ahmedabad district; Limbdi of Surendranagar district; Vallabhipur of Bhavnagar district; Tarapur and Khambhat of Anand district; Matar of Kheda district; Jambusar and Vagra of Bharuch district.[4]

Bhalia Wheat were registered as Geographic Indication in 2011 with help of state-run Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation and Anand Agricultural University. They are widely used for preparing semolina which is used for making pasta, macaroni, pizza, spaghetti, vermicelli, noodles etc. Gujarat Wheat-1, a variety of Bhalia Wheat, is popular in Gujarat.[4]

Production

The sowing starts in late October to the first week of November after rain water gets drained to the gulf. The produce is reaped in March — April. Every year 1.7 to 1.8 Lakh (170,000 to 180,000 long tons) of wheat is produced across 2 lakh hectares (490,000 acres). Bhalia wheat does not require irrigation or rain as they are cultivated on conserved soil moisture.[4]

Nutrition

Bhalia Wheat are rich in gluten, a type of amino acid. It is also rich in protein. It has high amount of carotene and has low absorption of water.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Gautam Purohit (16 August 2011). "કેસર કેરી પછી હવે ભાલીયા ઘઉંને 'જીઆઇ' ટેગ અપાયો". દિવ્ય ભાસ્કર (in Gujarati). Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  2. ^ "GI tag for Gir Kesar mango, Bhalia wheat". The Times of India. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  3. ^ George Watt (23 January 2014). A Dictionary of the Economic Products of India. Cambridge University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-108-06881-9.
  4. ^ a b c d "Bhalia wheat gets GI tag". Business Line - The Hindu. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Geographical Indication tag for Bhalia wheat". The Indian Express. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2016.